Esther: Daughter of Voldemort - Part I
by VolturiQueen1993
Summary: Esther Volkov, daughter of Voldemort, has lived in a orphanage in London until at the age of nine, she is adopted of the Dursleys, who have no idea about her magical heritage. At age eleven, she receives a letter that changes her life forever. Mostly Harry Potter Canon. Orphan AU, where Esther is actually a child.
1. Prologue

**This is basically a **_**Orphan **_**and **_**Harry Potter **_**crossover. Instead of Esther being a psychotic woman pretending to be a nine year old girl, Esther will be actually a child, who is an eccentric witch. The reason for this is so the **_**Orphan **_**fandom can seam well into the **_**Harry Potter **_**fandom. Esther will be mostly in character, so she wouldn't intentionally cause trouble.**

**I had this up a year ago, but severe writer's block caused me to take it down. Not to mention I revised some spelling and grammar errors.**

**Credit goes to CantLiveWithUCantLiveWithoutU for the story **_**Voldemort's Daughter**_**, as I can imagine Esther being a daughter of Lord Voldemort. **

**I am actually on a few month hiatus that will end in mid-June, though I will publish this story and update other stories sporadically.**

**I hope this is enjoyable. **

* * *

The December night was cold and frigid like it was. Families were either celebrating Christmas early or getting ready for the festivities. Tonight however, was one of those nights full of mysterious happenings and something that the Dursleys from Little Whinging would call "Freakish."

At the corner of a normally busy street, was a man dressed in black suit, as well as a black cloak. He looked to be in his forties and had black hair that went to his shoulders. His name was Severus Snape.

He seemed to be waiting for something, as he looked at his pocket watch repeatedly. What he was waiting for, was a visitation that he hoped that no muggle would see. He soon saw the street lights go out, one by one.

"Smart, Dumbledore is," he muttered in his breath. Soon, all the street lights went dark and Snape walked toward the rendezvous point, which was in front of St. Catherine's Home for Girl's Home.

The wizard named Dumbledore approached him, accompanied by a witch wearing green velvet robes and a witch's hat with a single feather on it.

"Dumbledore, Minerva," Snape acknowledged before saying ", Why are we meeting in front of here of all places."

"As I said, I plan on protecting a certain child from Voldemort as well. His daughter is also more likely to become a victim of his influence," Dumbledore said.

"You mean Esther?" Snape asked. Esther was a six month old infant, a daughter of a Russian pureblood witch named Anastasia Volkov, who happened to be the member of the Order of the Phoenix. She was a very pretty woman with blond hair and green eyes, a beauty that even attracted the Dark Lord himself. He planned to get information about the Order by seducing her, while he was in the appearance of young, attractive Tom Riddle. He didn't get much though, but the seduction resulted in the conception of a girl, who she named Esther. Aware that he helped conceived a daughter, Voldemort sent two Death Eaters to kill Anastasia and retrieve Esther, so Voldemort can raise his daughter the ways of the Dark Arts and to mold her into his right hand. Luckily, Anastasia had Lily Potter, who had a infant of her own, babysit Esther, while she visited her sister who was ill. The Death Eaters assigned to the mission, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr., hid in the closet waiting for Anastasia come home. She was killed right after she came back home and Bellatrix and Barty ransacked the house, trying to find baby Esther, but were unsuccessful.

"Yes, Severus. She is just as vulnerable to Voldemort as Harry Potter, but in a different way. It will be best to put her in a orphanage that is run by muggles and she will be adopted by muggles. She is far better off growing up away from the fact that her father is the most feared Dark Wizard, until she is ready," Dumbledore replied.

"Who is bringing her, Dumbledore?" Severus asked.

"Alice Longbottom is bringing her. Lily Potter thinks it is best, as she has a son at home," Dumbledore replied.

_Of course. Lily doesn't want to see me_, Snape thought miserably, wishing he never called Lily a _Mudblood _in their fifth year after Lily defended him from James Potter, who was publically humiliating Snape at the time.

"Right on time," Dumbledore said, after Alice Longbottom came, holding a baby girl who was covered and wrapped in blankets.

"She is still asleep," Alice Longbottom told them as she handed the baby to Dumbledore.

Baby Esther was fast asleep. She had little black hairs that were growing on her head, signifying what her hair color will be.

As Dumbledore headed towards the orphanage carrying the baby, Snape asked ", Does the Dark Lord know?"

"Fortunately, no. Right now his focus is on the prophecy, and I assume that he might want to look for his daughter afterwards, but I'm sure he doesn't want to risk it," Dumbledore said.

As Dumbledore laid the baby on the doorstep, Minerva said ", Poor Anastasia. She was very loyal. That was sick for _You_-_Know_-_Who _to use her like that."

"Of course it was. If Voldemort doesn't know love, he probably knows only lust," Alice Longbottom said.

"Indeed. We will mourn what will happen," Dumbledore said before saying ", Now we must depart. I will go and talk to Anastasia's mother. Ana's sister might need your company, Alice. She must be grieving greatly."

"Yes, Dumbledore," Alice said before she disapperated. Minerva McGonagall and Snape departed as well, leaving Dumbledore behind, as he used his deluminator to turn back on the street lights.

He put a slip in her crib that said _Esther Volkov _on it.

"Goodluck and farewell, Esther," Dumbledore softly told the sleeping baby before he disapperated.

Baby Esther snoozed, not knowing she was the daughter of the Dark Lord, not knowing she would be awaken by the head nun's screams as she found her while trying to put out the milk cartons. What she did not know was that one day, she will meet her father's prophesized vanquisher.

* * *

**Review please? **


	2. The Dursleys

**Thanks for the review. I appreciate it. **

**Since Winter Semester is coming to a close (one more day and I am free from Math 020 course 1), I will be updating some stories, including this (though this will be a daily update, as I have written over 28 chapters for part 1 and I am working on chapter 29), though my other stories will still be on hiatus until mid June or early July, as I work.**

**To those familiar with the film **_**Orphan**_**, Esther might act a little OOC (Considering she will be actually nine years old for probably 7 chapters of this story), but she will be mostly in character (Her intelligence, dress, mature demeanor, and excellent painting skills).**

* * *

_Nine years later_

Esther was awoken by sniffling three beds away. It was the youngest girl at St. Catherine's, Anna, was crying in her sleep again. Apparently she had another nightmare. Esther looked at the clock above the windows. It was thirty minutes after five in the morning.

Esther quietly got out of her bed and walked towards Anna's. "Anna, ssshh. Wake up, your just having a bed dream," Esther told her quietly.

"I want my mamma," Anna told her, as Esther hugged her.

"I know. I do too. I do too," as she stroked her hair.

Esther Volkov had been here nine years, as she was no longer the sixth month old baby that Dumbledore left on the doorstep of St. Catherine's Home for Girls. After she was found on their doorstep, they tried hard tracing for anyone who might have left her. Since then, she has been a resident at the orphanage.

"Now, go to back to bed. Today might be my or your lucky day," Esther told her. Today was a "Open House", when prospective parents look for a potential child, every Saturday.

Anna nodded and went back to sleep. Esther returned to her bed and laid herself on it, hoping to go back to sleep.

As she began to fall back asleep, Esther began thinking. She had been in the orphanage for nine years, but she knew that it would be a matter of time when she would become a teenager, and she knew, with gloom, that couples wanting to adopt a child, would rarely adopt a teenager.

She was treated pretty well by the nuns who ran the orphanage; in fact they were charmed by her intelligence and maturity. She was considered a bright, articulate child who was quiet and reserved. Esther was satisfied by how she was treated, but felt like she was missing out on a certain rite of passage that all kids her age deserved: Having parents.

Young children in the orphanage came and went, but not a single parent considered talking to her or consider to adopt her. She wondered what was wrong with her that made parents not want to adopt her. Was she too serious for a nine year old?

She did not want to dwell on that.

_Go to sleep, Esther_, she thought, so bothersome thoughts wouldn't harass her.

* * *

The clock struck seven A.M and the morning bell quietly rang in the dormitory. Esther quietly got up from her bed and pulled her trunk of clothes out of the bed. Girls at St. Catherine's wore black cotton jumper dresses with a white cotton long sleeved blouse to go under it. Gathering her uniform and tights, Esther headed to the lavatory.

As she got into the lavatory, Esther went into the nearest empty stall to change out of her night frock. It took her a few minutes to change into her uniform before taking the curlers from her black hair.

Esther always insisted having her hair in curls and ribbons, as it made her pretty. After prepping herself for the day, she left the stall and dumped her nightgown in the laundry chute to be washed.

_I hope somebody considers adopting me, but it seems fruitless. Nobody would want to adopt a old-fashioned nine year old girl_, Esther thought.

She hoped that her day might become good.

How right she was.

* * *

After breakfast, which consisted of oatmeal and a small grapefruit, the nuns dismissed the girls to recess. Esther decided to go to the classroom in the third floor to paint instead. Painting was one of her pastimes. Most girls her age drew stick figures, but she drew with adult skill. She practiced by using how-to-sketch-properly books that were given to her since she was six.

Sister Margaret, the head nun, thought that Esther was a very gifted child, with a high intellect. On a Intelligence Quotient test that they gave to the girls, Esther scored the highest. Margaret thought it was impressive, but thought it might put a strain on the nine year old girl.

"Most girls her age should play. She should enjoy her childhood while she can. She mustn't just stay inside reading and painting," Sister Margaret said one time.

Esther would privately disagree. It was like she aged maturely overnight. She assumed that it was the result of being a orphan; but the other orphan girls here played and laughed. Esther assumed she was different.

Esther picked up a pencil and began drawing. She mostly drew paintings that told stories. She was going to draw about a mother lion dreaming about her cubs that ran away, but they eventually come back to her.

A hour passed after before she started to paint. She could hear the children laughing downstairs and some adult voices. She assumed that some prospective parents were here. She continued to paint her drawing.

Esther began to sing _The Glory of Love_, a song that debuted in 1936. She heard it a few times on the record that the older girls would listen to on Fridays.

She soon heard two pairs of footsteps coming to the classroom she was in. Perhaps it was Sister Margaret and Sister Judith coming to summon her to join the party downstairs. She turned around to see that she was wrong.

In the classroom with her, she saw a tall woman with brown short hair that looked curled. With her was a big, beefy man with a mustache and not much neck. Esther noticed that the woman looked enthusiastic about being here, while the man looked like he wanted to find a child to get it over with.

"Hello, deary. What are you doing?" the woman asked her.

"Oh, just painting," Esther said as the couple came towards her.

"Painting? I used to love doing it when I was young," the woman told her.

"As you sometimes told me," the man muttered.

"Of course, Vernon," the woman replied before asking Esther ", What are you painting?"

"My paintings tell stories, really," Esther replied. "This is about a sad mother lion who lost her cubs."

"But she is smiling," Vernon told her.

"She's dreaming about her babies. It's the only thing that makes her happy," Esther replied.

"I hope she finds them soon," the woman told her.

"She will. Look," Esther said, as she began painting the cubs. "They were lost in the jungle, and they were so scared because they didn't have a mother or father. But just when they thought they'd be alone forever, they found their mother asleep under this tree. Now when she wakes up, her dream will have come true. She'll have her family again."

"What a brilliant piece of art," the woman complimented before asking her ", What is your name, child?"

"My name's Esther," she replied.

"My name is Petunia Dursley," the woman introduced herself before introducing her husband ", And this is my husband, Vernon."

"Nice to meet you two," Esther as she smiled at them.

"Why are you here and not frolicking around with the kids downstairs?" Vernon asked her.

"I never really have seen the point of it. I'm guess I'm different," Esther replied, with her smile.

"Oh, dearie. Nothing is wrong with being different," Petunia told her.

Esther answered with a smile.

"How old are you?" Petunia asked her, interested.

"Nine. Nine years old," Esther replied. "My birthday was just two days ago, as I turned nine on the eighth in this month."

"Nine? My son Dudley is at that age too," Petunia replied. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, had a young son named Dudley, who they spoil and dote on. They believed there was no other finer boy on earth. They had a nephew named Harry Potter, who lived with them, but they hated him.

"You have a son?" Esther asked them, curious.

"Yes. Dudley is a very good boy who could do no wrong," Vernon replied, proud of his son.

"Yes, he is an angel," Petunia said.

_The way they talk about him, he sounds spoiled_, Esther thought. Well, she didn't meet the boy. She would have to meet him first before judging him.

"I always wanted a family. I see so many parents come and go with a different child hand-in-hand. I wish that a couple could adopt me," she replied.

Petunia Dursley felt for the girl after hearing this. Even though she was happy that she had a son, who she doted and spoiled along with her husband, she craved a daughter. She wanted a child who she could teach on how to make cakes and plant flowers. She heard boys got along with girls better if a boy had a sister. Besides, her Dudders needed a sister, as it would teach him to respect girls.

"You might find that family, Esther," Petunia told her.

"Very polite and sincere, unlike most girls her age who just frolic and are not polite," Vernon said.

"Doing well, over here?" Sister Margaret asked Mr. and Mrs. Dursley.

"Yes, we are doing just fine," Petunia replied, smiling.

"I see you met Esther," Sister Margaret told them.

"Yes. She looks like a angel," Petunia replied.

"If you are interested, I can take you two to my office and give you more information about her," Sister Margaret said.

"Sure. We will follow you in a minute," Petunia told Sister Margaret before telling Esther ", See you in a few minutes, dearie."

Esther smiled at them as the Dursleys left the classroom.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley followed Sister Margaret to her office. Vernon Dursley, however, had a slight misgiving. The girl was polite and sincere, no doubt. At least she was mature for the age of nine that he wouldn't have to worry about her getting into their stuff, but what if this Esther girl was a "freak" just like his nephew? He later shook it off. At least adopting a girl who love to paint and might have a knack for reading is better than a girl being mischievous and hyper-active. He had no patience for hyper activeness, which is hypocritical as Dudley could be hyperactive, but that was different, as he was their Dinky Duddydums. If there can be no other finer boy, there would be no other finer girl out there either.

Besides, the odds of finding a child like…Harry's kind, was astronomical.

Sister Margaret led them to her office door in the first floor and opened the door for them. "Come right in," she said before she closed the door behind them. Vernon and Petunia sat in the seats in front of the desk as Sister Margaret opened the file cabinet.

She looked for a certain file until she pulled out the one she was looking for. "Among the girls here, she is a hard one to give a home," Margaret said as she put the file on the desk.

"Yes, because parents would rather adopt a child that is noisy then a child that is polite," Vernon grunted.

"Now, Esther Volkov, the child you talked to, she is a extraordinary little girl," Sister Margaret said as she opened the file containing a polaroid photo of Esther as well as her papers.

"I see. She is very polite," Petunia pointed out.

Sister Margaret smiled as she continued, "She is very polite. She is very mature for her age and very intelligent."

"It is an understatement. She seems like a very smart girl. How can no one want a child like her? She is every parents dream," Petunia said.

"That is a interesting thought. I find it odd that couples wouldn't consider taking her in. She is a very intelligent child, she loves to read, paint, draw and play games that require the mind," Sister Margaret replied.

"Why is she here?" Vernon asked her.

"Nine years ago, on Christmas Eve morning. I was about to put the milk cartons outside when I saw her in a basket, wrapped in warm blankets on the doorstep. There was a piece of paper saying her name and date of birth, but not the name of the parents or a letter," Sister Margaret replied.

"The poor thing," Petunia replied.

"Parents who do that should be found and arrested. Her parents could have been druggies who wanted nothing to do with the child," Vernon Dursley said angrily.

If it were his son in the situation, his face would be turning the color of a red tomato and he would be on a rampage.

"Yes, it is very unfortunate. After we found her, we tried tracing the people who left her on the doorstep but came up with nothing," Sister Margaret replied. "We had no choice but to make her a resistant here. It is sad when couples snub certain kids and go for certain ones. We had one couple who went by looks. They talked to Esther for sometime. They thought she was polite and mature, but they thought she wasn't pretty enough. They wanted a pretty little girl, and they settled on Lavinia, one of the former residents here. She was a pretty eleven year old, but she was a bully to the other kids. It is not a good thing to adopt a child based on looks."

"Yes, I agree," Vernon replied.

"Here is her I.Q test results. We do one every three years, starting when they turn nine," Sister Margaret replied, giving them a piece of paper from Esther's files.

Petunia took the sheet and looked at it. "A 125 I.Q. That is impressive. She is a gifted child for having such a I.Q," she said.

"She is extraordinary. So, are you two interested?" Sister Margaret asked them.

"Yes, we will love to give Esther a home," Petunia replied, smiling.

* * *

Esther rolled up her dried painting and put a rubber band to keep it from rolling apart. She carried it by holding it down as left the classroom to the dormitory. She hurried to her bunk in the dormitory and put her painting under the bed and pulled out her box of belongings, which consisted of crossword puzzle books, Sudoku books, a chess set, a rubrics cube, a deck of cards, painting utensils, and a few books, which shown great use but good care. She took out her chess set, hoping to play chess with Anna.

She carefully clutched on to her chess set, as she made her way to the playroom, which was on the first floor. On the way, she crossed Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, who were smiling and looked satisfied.

"We learned so much about you. You are so sweet and gifted," Petunia told her. "Would you like it if we became your parents?"

"Yes!" Esther replied, squealing.

"I shall phone Marge. Tell her of a new member about to come," Vernon replied, failing to hide his proud tone.

"You will have a new brother. Dudley will like you so much!" Petunia said, hugging her. _Well, she will have a cousin too, but we will tell her on the day we take her home_, Petunia thought.

"It will take a few weeks, as we have to go through a back ground check and things like that," Petunia told her.

"It feels so good to have a new mummy and daddy," Esther replied, beaming.

Esther's day took a good turn.

* * *

**I hope I made the Dursleys in character, but I think it is in character for them not to tell her about Harry right away. **


	3. Number Four Privet Drive

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The few weeks after meeting the Dursleys passed rather slowly for Esther, like any other child. Petunia and Vernon Dursley would visit her three times a week, as they didn't want their son to be neglected either. Esther learned that her new daddy was a director in a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. During the visits, Petunia would bring candy for Esther, as well as show her pictures of her soon-to-be brother, Dudley. Dudley Dursley was a chubby boy with short brown hair and in his pictures, he was always smiling. One of the pictures, that Petunia showed Esther, consisted of Dudley unwrapping a big toy truck for Christmas, while smiling, as if he wanted it. That gave her the impression that Dudley was rather spoiled. At least having a spoiled brother at the same age is better than a bully of a teenage boy.

Esther had been counting down the days in which she hoped the Dursleys would come and take her home with them, and on the date of July 30th, which happened to be a day before the Dursley's nephew's ninth birthday, Esther got her wish.

She was in the playroom, solving her rubrics cube when Sister Margaret came in the room, all smiles.

"Today is the day, Esther. Guess who is here?" Sister Margaret asked her.

"They are here?" Esther asked excited.

"Yes. Why won't you get ready?" Sister Margaret kindly asked her.

Without hesitation, Esther speed walked from the playroom up to where the dormitory was. As she got to her bed, she took her trunks full of her possessions and put them in empty suitcases, which were bought for her the week before. She went to the bathroom to change out of her orphanage uniform and into a blue jumper dress with frills in the end and a pink short sleeved button-up blouse with puffed sleeves.

She was soon met by Sister Margaret, who carried her luggage and they went to the front door to meet the Dursleys.

* * *

"Are you ready, Esther Dursley?" Petunia asked her.

"Yes, mummy," Esther replied.

"Alright, dearie," Petunia said.

Esther turned to Sister Margaret to say good bye and Esther, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley took Esther's suitcases and headed towards the car. Esther went into the backseat of the car as they loaded her trunks into the trunk before going in the car.

"Dudley is so excited to see you," Petunia told Esther as she buckled in.

Esther smiled and tightened her ribbons.

The car ride from London to Little Whinging took a hour. As Esther looked at the window while trying to do a word search, she heard Mr. and Mrs. Dursley engage in different conversations. First they talked about arranging Esther to meet with a neighbor who had a daughter her age before discussing about their nephew's "misbehavior."

"That boy talked back to me yesterday when I told him to mow the lawn. He needs to be grateful that we gave a roof over his head. Without us, he would have wound up in an orphanage," Petunia told her husband.

"Yes and why we got landed with him is a mystery. Did those people know we can't tolerate him?" Vernon replied. He knew the reason but he didn't want Dudley or Esther to know the real reason why Harry was with them. They thought it was better off that Esther didn't know about the "world" Harry's parents came from. However, they didn't know that the daughter of the man who killed Harry's parents was sitting in the back seat, who also had no idea about her parents.

Hearing the name 'Harry Potter', Esther asked them ", Mummy, daddy, who is Harry Potter?"

They knew she would ask that. In fact, they planned on telling her on the way to four privet drive.

"Harry is a nephew of ours. We had him since he was one," Petunia replied.

"What happened to his mummy and daddy?" Esther asked.

"They got killed in a car crash," Vernon grunted.

Esther guessed the way he said it, it was as if it was nothing sad or heartbreaking, so she continued to focus on her word search.

Once they got to Little Whinging, before they went home, they stopped at a sweet shop and Vernon Dursley bought two big bags of candy: One for Dudley and one for Esther. As they drove to Privet Drive, Esther looked out the window at the houses the car passed by.

Soon enough, the car entered number four's drive.

"Is this your house?" Esther asked as the car rolled in the driveway.

"It's your home too," Petunia told her as the car stopped. Esther unbuckled and got out of the car as Vernon took two of her suitcases from the trunk. They walked to the door and Petunia rang the doorbell.

A few minutes later, a blond haired woman in her thirties answered the door.

"Hello, Petunia," the woman greeted.

"Hi, Yvonne. Thank you for looking out for the boys while we were gone," Petunia told her as they entered the house. Esther started to look at her surroundings.

"You're welcome. They were well behaved," Yvonne replied. She looked at Esther and said ", Nice to meet you, Esther."

Esther shook her hand and smiled.

"Well, I must go. My family is going on vacation and I'm expected to go along," Yvonne replied, grabbing her purse.

"Yes. I see. Thank you, Yvonne. I appreciate it," Petunia replied.

"Of course. See you when I get back, Tuney," Yvonne answered before leaving the house. After Yvonne was out of the house, Vernon shouted, "Dudley, your sister is here!"

Soon, Esther heard a door slam on the second floor and saw a brown haired boy waddling down the stairs.

"I'm sure we told you about Esther, Dudley," Petunia said.

"Hello, Esther, my name is Dudley," Dudley greeted her with a big smile as she shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you Dudley," Esther replied, shaking his hand.

"And guess what we got as well," Petunia said, holding the two big bags of candy.

"Candy!" Dudley said excitedly.

"Yes, Dinky Duddydums. One for you, and one for Esther," Petunia said, handing the bags to them.

Dudley took the bag, smiled at Esther and ran without saying thank you.

_That's rude_, Esther thought. She soon saw another boy her age, leaning against the doorway between the kitchen and the entry hallway, looking wistfully at the bag of candy she carried. He had medium brown hair that was untidy, baggy clothes, glasses taped together, and on his right temple, a scar the shape of a lightning bolt.

Wondering if he wanted some candy, she came forward to him, opened her bag of candy, and pulled some out.

"Do you want some candy?" Esther asked.

Before the boy could answer, Vernon stepped in. "I wouldn't ask him if I were you. He doesn't eat candy. He has never liked candy."

"Oh," Esther thought. She never bought the story though.

"Well, do you want to take a tour of the house?" Vernon asked her.

"Yes," Esther replied beaming.

"Harry! Grab her suitcases," Petunia snapped, after bringing in two more of Esther's suitcases.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry replied meekly, like this was something he does every day. He helped drag the suitcases up. Esther thought it was bad that he was expected to do such hard lifting.

"Want to see your room?" Petunia asked her.

Esther smiled as she went up the stairs.

"This is our bedroom. Your bedroom is next to Dudley's second bedroom," Petunia replied.

_Second bedroom? _Esther thought. That confirmed her preconceived notion of Dudley being spoiled. Petunia opened the door and Esther walked in. It was set up like it was ready for her to use. The bed was a white trundle and the covers were made and pulled back for her to sleep in. There was a trunk in front of her bed and she saw two desks touch each other. One was a small one containing a computer and a big desk for homework. One wall was a book shelf and facing her bed was a television in a wood TV holder and under it were trunks to contain videos. The wallpaper had a lavender floral design with pink borders at the top.

"How do you think, dearie?" Petunia asked her.

Esther turned and smiled. "It's perfect," Esther replied.

* * *

After her tour of number four privet drive, she unpacked her suitcases and put her belongings where she deemed appropriate.

She soon turned to her work desk and took a few pieces of candy and put it in her pocket. She was planning to give a few pieces of candy to her cousin when the Dursleys weren't looking. She left her room and proceeded to go downstairs. The TV was on downstairs and she could tell it was a cartoon. As she entered the main foyer, she saw Dudley engrossed in a circus show, eating a big bowl of ice cream.

Esther made her way through the kitchen, and she saw Petunia washing the dishes, humming to herself. Harry was nowhere in sight.

Seeing Esther in the kitchen, Petunia asked her ", Is there anything you need, dearie."

"Where is Harry?" Esther asked.

"He's out washing the windows," Petunia asked, putting the dishes in the washing machine.

"Washing windows?" Esther asked.

"Yes. Gives him something to do," Petunia replied. Harry soon came through front door, tired of the chore among chores he had to do.

"Well, boy did you wash all the windows?" Petunia asked him sternly as he entered a kitchen carrying window cleaner and rags.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry replied.

"Okay. Will you please clean the kitchen table? It will be a manner of time before Duddy's friends come over," Petunia replied.

"Dudley has friends coming over?" Esther asked.

"Yes, they are coming to spend the night, like he always does on these days, either on Sunday or Friday," Petunia replied.

"I see," Esther replied. It was not a good thing to be the only nine year old girl in the house outnumbered by nine year old boys for the night.

Soon the phone rang and Petunia answered it. Seeing that her back was to the kitchen and knowing that Mr. Dursley was also preoccupied with television, Esther whispered to Harry, "Harry, here's some candy."

Harry looked at her surprised when she did this. "Go put it in your room before mummy accuses you of stealing."

Harry quietly walked to the cupboard under the stairs and quietly closed the door. After hiding the candy, Harry shut the door, without attracting notice.

_That is where he sleeps? _Esther thought agitated. What did this boy do to make her mummy and daddy not like him?

Petunia soon hung up the phone said ", That was Mrs. Reynolds. She called to tell me her husband got a DUI again."

"Ugh, that man. One of these days, he's going to crash into a house and I bloody hope it is not ours," Vernon replied.

Soon the doorbell rang and Petunia went and answered it.

"Hello, Mrs. Polkiss," Petunia greeted a woman around her age group.

"Here to see Piers off. He's been excited for this," Mrs. Polkiss greeted, as a boy also nine entered. He was scrawny with a face of a rat.

"I know. Boys always excited for things," Petunia said smiling.

Esther saw Piers and Dudley both handshake each other and running up the stairs while Dudley shouted ", You should see my new Game console, Piers. It's brilliant!"

The women laughed seeing the display.

"Esther, come here," Petunia beckoned Esther.

Esther shyly came to the door and stood by Petunia.

"This is our new daughter, Esther," Petunia introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Polkiss," Esther greeted, shaking her hand.

"What a charming young girl. Well, I must be off. My husband will be getting out of work soon," Mrs. Polkiss replied.

"What happened to his car?" Petunia asked concerned.

"The radiator is malfunctioning and we are down to one car before he gets it fixed," Mrs. Polkiss replied.

"Oh dear, well, have a nice day, Mrs. Polkiss," Petunia replied.

"Bye, Mrs. Dursley," Mrs. Polkiss said before walking out the door.

"Mummy, how many more of Dudley's friends are coming?" Esther asked.

"Piers is here now. So three more left. Gordon, Dennis, and Malcolm," Petunia replied.

Great, so five boys, not counting Harry and one girl, to Esther chagrin. She knew they might tease about her curls and ribbons when together. Dudley seemed to like her.

"Where's Harry?" she heard Piers ask.

"I don't know. Maybe in his dirty cupboard," Dudley replied.

"Let's find him," Piers jeered. The way it sounded to Esther, bullying was going to be involved.

Esther went to the living room, sat down on a empty chair and watched the show that Dudley abandoned.

"Who is she?" she heard Piers ask.

She turned to look at him.

"Looks like Goldie Locks has come to visit," Piers said snidely.

"Don't compare me to Goldie Locks as my hair is black, and Goldie Locks should refer to someone who is blond," Esther stated.

Dudley laughed and said ", Good one. Come on, Piers, let's find Harry."

"I'm sure he's outside," Esther said innocently, trying to throw them off-course.

"We'll check there first," Piers said, and he followed Dudley out the door. Esther tip-toed to the cupboard under the stairs and quietly opened it.

"Harry, come with me," she said and quietly, he followed her.

"She may have invited you upstairs, boy, but if I hear trouble, that means a week in the cupboard," Vernon yelled at Harry as Harry and Esther went upstairs.

* * *

"Thank you," Harry said as they went to the second floor.

"I knew they might hunt you down just to tease you. Does he do that all the time?" Esther asked, as she opened her bedroom door.

"Harry Hunting? Yes, when his friends are over," Harry replied as he went into her bedroom.

"Piers seems like a stupid kid pretending to be smart. Don't mind him," Esther replied.

"You should see Dudley, Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon together. They give me a hard time and bully other kids into getting more candy and money," Harry replied. "What do you think of Dudley so far?"

"He's okay, he just needs manners. And I think he is lazy," Esther replied. "Want to play chess?"

"Yes. I see Uncle Vernon play chess with Dudley and I think they both cheat," Harry replied.

"We'll play chess together and not invite Dudley and his friends," Esther said, taking her chess set from the trundle drawer in her bed.

"Malcolm, you arrived!" Esther heard Dudley yell from downstairs.

"Let's start playing shall we?" Esther said, putting the chess set.

* * *

Esther and Harry played chess the next sixty minutes. Harry never played chess that often, but it seemed that Esther played the game all the time, as she won the first round they played.

"When's your birthday?" Esther asked as she wiped the chess board clean to start the next round.

"Tomorrow," Harry said.

"Tomorrow? Why mummy wanted to celebrate mine tomorrow, as my birthday is on the eighth of this month," Esther replied.

"They never celebrate my birthday. To them, it is like any other day," Harry said glumly.

"How horrible. While were out tomorrow, I'll get you something," Esther said.

The Dursleys were planning to go to a adventure park that day, and as usual, Harry was going to be with Ms. Figg while the family was out.

"Man, not again! That's what I hate about Mario. He dies every time you miss a step," she heard Gordon shout from Dudley's room.

"Boys. Esther. The pizza is here!" Petunia shouted from the bottom of the stairs. Esther and Harry heard the door to Dudley's room slam and the sound of running feet down the stairs.

"Wait here. I'll be right back," Esther told Harry as she got up and headed towards the door to lead to the hallway. She left the room and headed down the stairs. She could smell pizza wafting from the kitchen.

As she opened the kitchen door, she could see six Pizza Hut boxes and a bag of cheese sticks on the table. "Help your selves," Petunia told them as Dudley and his friends filled their plates with pepperoni pizza. Esther waited until Dudley and his friends left the kitchen, and she picked up a paper plate that was sitting next to the boxes. "You can help yourself, Esther," Petunia told her as Esther put three slices on her paper plate.

"Are you excited for tomorrow?" Petunia asked Esther as she took a jug of lemonade from the fridge.

"Yes, mummy, but where we are going?" Esther asked as she took two plastic cups from the kitchen cupboard where cups were held.

"Well, dearie, after you open presents, the family is going to Chessington World Of Adventures for the day. I took Dudley there on his seventh birthday and he loved it," Petunia replied.

Esther knew what Chessington World of Adventures was. It was a adventure park and resort located in London. It had opened two years prior.

"Is Harry coming along too?" Esther asked filling the cups with the cold lemonade.

Petunia paused. Esther seemed to take a liking to Harry then what she and Vernon had anticipated. Petunia wanted to tell Esther that Harry wasn't going and not to ask again, but in her heart, she knew that she wanted Esther to be happy in her new home. At least she got along with Dudley okay so far. Besides, what would hurt if Harry went along for once?

"Well, I'll figure something out, dearie," Petunia said, though she did not know how to approach Vernon on the decision.

"Okay, mummy," Esther said, as she carefully lugged the plates and cups upstairs to her. She could hear a action cartoon movie playing in Dudley's room. She carefully opened the door and entered her room.

"Hungry?" she asked Harry.

* * *

As it turned out, Harry didn't eat much that day and Esther encouraged him to eat her two slices of pizza while she ate hers.

Esther and Harry still played chess until 8:00 PM, when Petunia opened the door. "Harry, bedtime," she said.

Harry immediately got up from the floor and said, "Yes, Aunt Petunia."

"And go to the bathroom and wash the sauce from your face," Petunia said to him.

"Thank you, Esther," he said before leaving the room.

"Enjoyed yourself today?" Petunia asked her as she picked up the plastic cups and paper plates.

"Yes. I think I shall go to the lavatory before Dudley does," Esther replied.

"Wise choice, dearie," Petunia said before taking the dirty cups and the trash. Esther took her chess set and put all the pieces away.

* * *

Esther left the bathroom, carrying her clothes and headed downstairs to put them in the laundry basket in the kitchen. Petunia and Vernon were watching the 9 o'clock evening news, which was their usual routine. After putting her clothes in the basket, Esther headed to the stairs while saying ", Goodnight mummy, goodnight daddy."

"Good night, Estie, see you tomorrow," Petunia said.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Vernon called out, as Esther headed up the stairs. Dudley and his friends were still watching movies or playing video games. She shook her head as she opened her door and closed it.

She soon crawled in bed. The mattress was softer than the one at the orphanage and the bed covers were new.

As she dozed off, she thought of the day. Her new mummy and daddy were nice to her and treated her well, though she did not approve of how they treated her new cousin, Harry Potter. Dudley was okay. Tolerable when he was alone, but in her mind, his friends or better yet, lackeys, were a trial.

She began to sleep, thinking of the next day.

* * *

**It might be OOC for the Dursleys, but they may bend their restrictions on Harry to make Esther happy.**


	4. Trouble In The Park

**This chapter is where accidental magic will happen and it wouldn't be from Harry Potter.**

* * *

Esther woke up at seven thirty A.M. Dudley and his friends were already up, as she heard them going downstairs. Downstairs, she heard Petunia wake Harry up by knocking his cupboard door and telling him to look after the bacon because Petunia wanted everything perfect for "her Estie."

Esther shook her head at the pet name that her mummy gave her. Esther changed out of her night gown and she put on a white short sleeved button up shirt that had puffed sleeves and red embroided flower designs were by the buttons and a black knee length skirt where she tucked in the blouse.

After slightly curling her hair, she put pig tails in her curls with black ribbons before descending down the stairs. She could smell pancakes and bacon wafting from the kitchen. When she entered, Petunia said ", Here she comes, the birthday girl."

Esther's birthday was actually the 8th of July, but this year, The Dursleys celebrated it later as they met her two days after she turned nine.

Esther looked at the living room, and saw countless presents on the furniture. Dudley and his friends were sitting at the table with Vernon, playing cards.

Esther counted her presents and said speechless ", Thirty six. Last year I got 10 from the orphanage."

"Did you count Auntie Marge's. It is under the big one from mummy and daddy," Petunia said.

"Okay, thirty-seven then," Esther said. She was actually over whelmed at the amount of presents. Fifteen or sixteen would be enough but thirty-seven, that was what a prince or princess should have or a spoiled child like Dudley.

Petunia must have mistaken Esther's silence, as she said ", And when we're out, we'll buy you two more presents."

"So that is thirty-nine?" Esther asked.

"Thirty-nine, sweet tums," Petunia replied.

"Alright," Esther smiled, as she grabbed a big parcel.

The phone rang and Petunia went to get it while Vernon, Harry, Dudley and his friends watched Esther open her presents. She got a painting easel, paint brushes, paint and other painting supplies, a racing bike (Esther was confused why she got one. She wasn't against exercise but she didn't want to ride a bike while wearing a dress or skirt), a set of books, new computer games, a new chess set, a video camera, and a big dictionary that must have cost 40 pounds. She was ripping the paper off a box containing a porcelain doll when Petunia came in and said ", Miss. Figg got sick. She can't take him."

Dudley's mouth fell open in horror. Seeing that, Esther scowled at him.

"We could phone Marge," Vernon suggested.

"You know she hates the boy," Petunia said.

"How about your friend?" Vernon replied.

"Yvonne is on a family vacation," Petunia snap.

After Esther asked about Harry going to Chessington, Petunia discussed this with Vernon, but Vernon was adamant. The boy was not going and that was that.

"I see no harm in having Harry come with us," Esther said.

"But, he might mess things up," Vernon replied.

"If Harry doesn't come, I'll send my presents to charity," Esther replied.

It was then decided. Petunia and Vernon now planned to take Harry along, but not because they wanted him to come, but because they didn't want the stuff they bought for Esther be sent to charity. They spent money to get the things they got her.

After breakfast, which were chocolate chip pancakes ("They are Duddy's favorite", Petunia told Esther) and bacon, three of Dudley's friends went home but Piers stayed behind, as he wanted to come along to Chessington World of Adventures, which didn't make either Esther or Harry happy.

This was her day, and Esther didn't want a member of her brother's gang to ruin it.

Later, Harry couldn't believe his luck that he was sitting in the back of the Dursley's van with Esther, Dudley, and Piers, but before they left, Vernon took him aside and said ", I'm warning you now, boy. Any funny business, any at all, and you will be in that cupboard for a week."

Driving to London, Vernon Dursley complained to Petunia. He liked to complain about things: People at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects to complain about. This morning, it was motorcycles.

"Do they have a death wish? They roar along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said as a motorcycle overtook them.

"I had a dream about a motorcycle," Esther heard Harry say. "It could fly."

Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front, as he turned around from his seat and yelled at Harry, "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"

Dudley and Piers sniggered, while Esther scowled at them.

"I know they don't," Harry said. "It was just a dream."

"You shouldn't have said anything," Esther told him.

They waited in mild traffic before they arrived at Chessington. It was a very sunny Monday and the adventure park was filed with families. After paying to enter, the Dursley's went to the food stalls in the Market Place section, where they bought Dudley and Piers large vanilla and chocolate ice creams and brought Esther a nice thick milk shake, and because the smiling lady at the stall asked Harry what he wanted, The Dursley's hurried him away and bought him a cheap raspberry pop.

Esther had the best morning she had in a long time. She was careful to stay far from Dudley and Piers (A habit Harry was good at having) as they went on rides, in case they might make a habit of tugging on her pig tails if they got bored. They ate at the park restaurant, and Dudley had a tantrum because his Knickerbocker Glory didn't have enough ice cream on top.

_How spoiled. A tantrum at nine. He is not a toddler anymore_, Esther thought irately as she ate hers. Vernon bought him another one and allowed Harry to finish the rest.

After lunch, they went to the zoo portion and much to Esther and Harry's discomfort, Dudley and Piers wanted to go to the reptile house. It was giving Esther the creeps, as she was usually afraid of snakes, but she thought she heard them whisper voices.

It could have been a trick of the imagination.

Dudley found the largest snake there. It could have wrapped it's body around a trash can and crush Vernon's car. In fact, it was fast asleep.

Dudley was disappointed and he tried to make it move by rapping his knuckles against the glass twice, but couldn't.

"This is boring. I would rather be on the rides," Dudley groaned. Piers and Dudley left the glass confine to look at something else.

Esther was alone at the snake's cage and she was preparing to leave when she heard _Sstupid humansss. Alwaysss disssturbing me_.

She turned to look at the snake, surprised.

"You can talk?" Esther asked.

The snake nodded and raised it's head.

"I never talked to a snake before and I never thought one can talk. Do you talk to people often?" Esther asked the snake.

It shook its head no.

"Where did you come from anyway?" Esther asked, not knowing why she herself was talking to the snake, as she originally had a repulsion to them.

The snake jabbed it's tail at a sign that was next to the glass that said _Reticulated Python. Albania_.

"Was it nice there?" Esther asked.

The snake jabbed its tail at the sign again: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Interesting. I don't know my original parent's either," Esther said.

The snake shook its head and Esther heard Piers yell "DUDLEY, MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T _BELIEVE _WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Dudley came waddling and Piers pushed Esther aside, saying ", Out of the way, Laura Ingalls Wilder!"

Esther fell to the ground and glared at Piers.

_He'll pay for the insult_, Esther thought angrily.

Soon, Esther saw something that surprised her.

One minute, Piers and Dudley were leaning against the glass, the next, they jumped back, howling in fear.

The glass that kept the snake in it's confine disappeared and it slithered out and Esther thought she heard _Thanks, mik. Albania, here I come_.

She knew that the Vernon and Petunia must have seen it, and she expected Vernon to give her a accusing look, but she was surprised that Vernon gave the look to Harry instead, who was busy looking at a salamander.

Harry froze and gulped.

Esther knew it wasn't good.

Well, at least for her cousin.

* * *

The drive home was silent and Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before he rounded on Harry. Esther went upstairs but stood at the top of the stairs to see what would happen to Harry.

"What happened?" she heard Vernon yell at Harry.

"I did nothing! I was looking at the salamanders," Harry begged.

She heard Vernon drag Harry to the cupboard and shut him in.

"Don't you lie to me, boy. I knew it was you. You are bad news," Vernon told him, before Esther heard the cupboard door lock.

Esther felt guilty. She should have never talked to that snake and Harry wouldn't have gotten into trouble for something she did.

She quietly walked down the stairs and as she reached the floor, she heard Dudley laughing and saying ", Good one, daddy."

"So Harry Hunting isn't Dudley's only favorite thing, he likes to see his dad punish and bully Harry," Esther said to herself.

She headed towards the kitchen as she heard Petunia bring out plates.

Esther might have to sneak a piece of fruit cake for Harry while the Dursleys weren't watching.

* * *

**R & R**


	5. The Cat Lady

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The escape of the reticulated python earned Harry a punishment he didn't deserve. Esther, feeling guilty, snuck him meals when Petunia Dursley wasn't looking, and when Harry was let out of the cupboard a week later, it was only almost enough before the school year started at the primary school Harry and Dudley went to.

And Esther was going to be with them. During the beginning of August, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley got Esther registered at Sherwood Primary School, which was five miles away from four privet drive in Little Whinging.

Dudley seemed to think it was funny as he teased Harry about having a friend, while telling he doesn't deserve any.

Hearing this, Esther put a toad in his bed. She found the toad in Petunia's garden and put it in a bucket, under the guise of picking flowers. She snuck into Dudley's bedroom, as she knew he was busy watching television and eating lemon cake. As she entered his room, she muttered how Dudley didn't clean his room as she put the toad in his bed.

Dudley screamed after seeing the frog come out of the mattress. Luckily, no one was punished.

One day in August, Petunia took Esther and Dudley to get fitted for their school uniforms, and Harry was sent to Miss. Figg's. That night, Esther paraded around the living room in her school uniform. The boys and girls in Sherwood wore the same color of uniform, a dark blue, and the girls had skirts while boys had trousers. Petunia called her a little young lady, saying how she couldn't believe how her Estie looked so refined and grown up.

* * *

There was two more weeks left until the start of the school year. During the weeks prior, Esther impressed Petunia by asking how to make cakes, treats, and how to plant, water, and prune flowers. For the remaining weeks of the summer, Petunia put Esther in cake lessons, French lessons, and piano lessons. Her cake instructor thought that she was superb and a fast learner for a nine year old. She was very good a piano, like a expert.

However, Esther thought that her 125 I.Q might become higher as she gets older, making her from gifted to genius level intellect when she becomes a teenager. And she wondered how she can manage being a gifted child.

She even strived to plant vegetables, so she can make some money. She bought seeds for chili peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips, cucumbers, squash, and zucchinis. She put the planted vegetables in bags organized by type and would put them in the kiddie red wagon. The neighbors were charmed by her smile and manners, that she would come back to four privet drive with the wagon empty and with a bag full of cash.

Harry was at first astounded how she successfully she sold all the vegetables, but he knew the grown-ups were very discriminative when it came to buying from kids. At seven, he attempted to sell notebooks but every adult shut the door on his face before he even spoke.

* * *

"We'll be going to see Aunt Marge. Harry, you are to be at Miss. Figg's," Petunia said, looking through her purse to see that she had everything.

"Mummy, may I go to Ms. Figg's too?" Esther asked.

"But Aunt Marge has been looking forward to see you" Petunia told her.

"I'll see her next time. I heard you mention Ms. Arabella Figg. I want to meet her," Esther said, sweetly.

Petunia smiled. The girl was so courteous and polite. Petunia took her to the local café so her friends could meet her. They fell in love with Esther just by seeing her for the first time. What could hurt if Esther met Miss Figg?

"Alright, dearie, but promise to see Aunt Marge on Christmas," Petunia said.

* * *

"We'll see you early evening," Petunia told Esther before they left her and Harry at Miss. Figg's.

Esther waved them good bye as they entered Ms. Figg's house. "Welcome, children. You can come right in," Miss Figg told them as they entered. Esther smelled a strong odor of cabbage, mixed with cat dander.

"Hello, Ms. Figg. My name is Esther," Esther greeted her politely while shaking her hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," Ms. Figg told her. _Charming at such a young age. That's what Albus said about __**He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named**__ when he was young_, Arabella thought.

"I have some cookies and lemonade in the kitchen that you can snack on," Miss Figg told Esther and Harry as they took off their shoes.

_And she'll make us look at all the cats she owned and talk about her family_, Harry thought miserably, as he saw Esther pet one of Ms. Figg's cats, the cat that would usually bite strangers and anyone except for Miss Figg.

"Be careful, dear. Tufty doesn't like strangers," Miss Figg warned her.

"It's all right. He doesn't mind," Esther said, as the cat purred to her touch.

_Can charm animals. Sounds familiar also_, Miss Figg thought. Esther soon left the cat to go to the kitchen.

As Esther and Harry were seated, Miss Figg gave them each a plate of lemon scone cookies and a small cup of lemonade.

As Miss Figg came to the table with a envelope, Harry gulped. That's what he hated about Ms. Figg's. All she did was make him look at pictures of cats. She would talk on and on about the cats she owned as well as her family. However, if the Dursleys knew about her heritage and that she was what wizarding folk called a Squib, the Dursleys would find someone else to babysit Harry.

Seeing Ms. Figg take the pictures of cats from the envelope, Esther asked ", Are those cats?"

"Yes, everyone that I owned," Miss Figg told her as Esther took five pictures from the table.

"They look adorable," Esther said, as she went through them.

"Are you a animal person?" Miss Figg asked her.

"I like cats and dogs, but reptilians scare me often, although last month, something strange happened with a snake at a reptile house at the Chessington Adventure park," Esther replied.

"What happened?" Miss Figg asked her.

"I talked to a python and I swear I heard it whisper to me. Somehow the glass confining it disappeared and it escaped. It was rather…odd," Esther replied. "That happened after mummy and daddy adopted me from St. Catherine's in London."

_Parseltongue, accidental magic, she could pet Tufty without him biting her, charming, was in St. Catherine's. Is it possible? _Miss Figg thought. She knew that Lord Voldemort conceived a girl with a member of the Order, and that Anastasia Volkov named her daughter Esther. The Order sent Esther to St. Catherine's Home For Girls after her mother died so that Voldemort couldn't raise her, which he was planning to do.

Arabella Figg planned on writing to Dumbledore, while she distracted Esther and Harry with television.

"Esther, Harry. Why won't you watch television," Miss Figg told them, as she took the pictures in the envelope.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office, writing to the professors about the upcoming 1989-1990 Hogwarts school year. It will be two years when Harry will go to Hogwarts. And another student who was the child of a former student who went by the last name Riddle. Dumbledore knew that Esther Volkov might be sorted into Slytherin, because of her heritage. If Voldemort was back to full strength, he would no longer brag that he was Salazar Slytherin's last descendent.

Dumbledore's thoughts were interrupted when a owl came through his window. Upon receiving the envelope, he could tell that the letter was from Arabella Figg.

Miss Figg usually sent him letters every December 27th, which were about Harry's health and safety. Had something happened that she sent him one now?

After he opened it, the letter read…

_Dear Albus Dumbledore,_

_ Sorry to bother you, as I know you are busy, concerning the new Hogwarts' school year, but I feel that you need to know about this. _

_ The Dursleys adopted a girl named Esther last month from St. Catherine's. She and Harry Potter came to my house while the family was away for today. Esther is rather charming and intelligent for nine years old and she actually petted one of my cats, the one that bites strangers. And while talking to me, she revealed that she talked to a snake and it escaped while at a adventure park with the Dursleys. I couldn't help but wonder if she is the daughter of __**You-Know-Who **__and Anastasia Volkov. I could be wrong, but it is a strong possibility._

_ Miss Arabella Figg_

Dumbledore had, in fact heard that Esther Volkov left St. Catherine's but not the couple that adopted her. The fact that she was adopted by the Dursleys was interesting and in Dumbledore's mind, one worry was down.

He worried that if Esther Volkov (Dursley now her new surname) didn't' know Harry well enough, she would not hesitate to hurt him, if her father ordered it. The fact that Esther knows Harry personally now, was a relief. If she knew Harry Potter personally, it would make it harder for her to torture him if her father put it up to it, and Dumbledore in fact, would fear that Voldemort would influence her, as it would be hard now, due to her prolonged exposure to muggles and her new connection with Harry Potter, as her cousin.

Dumbledore planned to write to Petunia Dursley, but quickly changed his mind, as he didn't want fear in the house hold. Unwanted fear.

* * *

**More Soon! **


	6. Sherwood Primary School

**In this story, Bridget will be Brenda's British counterpart. **

**As for Esther's first day of school, I'll loosely base it off of J.K Rowling's first day in the film **_**Magic Beyond Words: The J.K Rowling Story**_**.**

* * *

"Esther! Time to get up!" she heard Petunia say outside her door. Esther slowly got up and turned on her bedside lamp. Looking at her calendar, she saw that it was the first day of school. She hoped that she wouldn't be stuck in a classroom with Dudley's dummies of a gang.

Esther quietly got up to change out of her nightgown to get into her school uniform. With the colder weather coming, she put on white tights to go with her uniform as well as dark blue ribbons to go with her black curls. She didn't care if her classmates made fun of her for that. Not even during Friday, where the school's policy states that kids can wear their own clothes on Friday.

After putting her school supplies in her new dark green backpack, she slung it over her shoulders and left her room. She could smell waffles and sausage as she went down the stairs. She was planning to eat oatmeal and grapefruit instead, as she didn't want to become big like Dudley, who ate like a pig during meals.

"Morning, mummy," Esther said as she went into the kitchen where Vernon and Dudley were already seated.

"Good morning, Estie. You can help yourself with breakfast. I made waffles and sausage," Petunia said warmly to her.

"Can I just have oatmeal and a grape fruit?" Esther asked.

"You love that every Monday, do you?" Petunia asked warmly.

"Yes," Esther replied, beaming. She ate like a regular nine year old, but unlike Dudley, she never overindulged on sweets and junk food. She ate her vegetables and fruit, as she knew they were nutritious for a nine year old. With candy, she made it last by eating a few pieces a day.

After Petunia prepared Esther's bowl of oatmeal and grapefruit and set it in front of her, Petunia asked Esther and Dudley, "Excited for school to start."

"Yes. I look forward to every lesson," Esther replied beaming.

"Why do we go to school? It is pointless. All we do is math, English, science, and grammer," Dudley complained, while eating his sausage.

"Don't talk while eating," Esther said.

Dudley just scowled at the remark.

"Are you underfeeding yourself?" Vernon asked her, looking concerned.

"It is adequate. They gave us adequate portions at St. Catherine's, as they went by our age," Esther replied, after swallowing her piece of grapefruit. While she was satisfied by the Dursley's treatment of her, she was confused why they insisted on giving her more than what is appropriate for a nine year old. She didn't want to be overfed or overfull like Dudley. She would give half of her extra portions to Harry, when Petunia was not looking.

Soon, Mr. Dursley left to go to work. He pecked Petunia on the cheek and did so with Esther and Dudley.

Esther double-checked to make sure she had everything while Petunia packed the lunch boxes. Esther and Dudley's lunchboxes were store bought that came with a leak proof bottle while Harry had to take a paper bag.

A few minutes later, Harry, Esther, and Dudley were in the backseat of the family van. Esther played her rubrics cube as the car drove to school, and it seemed to distract Dudley.

"How can you understand that thing?" Dudley whined. "I failed on putting on color on every side."

"It just takes practice," Esther said, looking at her rubrics cube.

"You make hard things easy. I don't understand rubrics cubes or Sudoku puzzles. They take the fun out," Dudley replied.

"Well, it is supposed to be hard, and the more you try, the more you learn," Esther replied.

_Dudley could use a brain_, Esther thought as the car drove in the parking lot. At the school entrance, she saw Piers, Dennis, Gordon, and Malcolm standing by the door, waiting for Dudley. "Okay, kids. Esther, Dudley, have a good day," Petunia said. "Harry behave yourself and one more note from the headmistress, you'll be punished."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry bleakly replied as he, Esther, and Dudley got out of the car. Dudley ran to his friends and greeted them, but they didn't leave the front door of the school.

"Come, Harry. Let's see if we can get around them," Esther told him as they walked to the stairway to the building.

"Hey, you can't go through if you don't have lunch money," Piers told Esther and Harry.

"You can let her through, but not Harry," Dudley said.

Esther pulled out a Mars Bar that she didn't eat and gave it to Dudley, "Is this enough to let him go through."

Esther hated bribing him with candy, but she knew that if she did, he'll do what she wanted.

"Okay, you both can go," Dudley replied, letting Harry and Esther in the school building.

"Thank you," Harry told Esther.

"Don't mention it. It would be bad if those boys picked on you at the school entry," Esther told Harry as they tried to find their classroom.

"They do that all the time. They want lunch money or candy from kids in order for them to get in the school building. If you don't, you are ten minutes late to class," Harry replied.

"They are just stupid," Esther replied. She and Harry made way to the classroom they were assigned to.

"Miss Clarence. Not her," Harry moaned as they entered the classroom.

"Why?" Esther asked, as they entered the classroom.

"I heard horror stories," Harry said. Harry and Esther put their lunch pails in the plastic bin in the corner and picked desks next to each other that was in the front row by the door.

The class filled up and to Esther's chagrin, Piers, Malcolm, Dennis, and Gordon were in the same classroom with her, Harry, and Dudley. After the bell rang, a severe looking woman with brown hair came in the room.

As she written her name on the board, she said ", I am Miss Clarence. You will all have the pleasure of having my company in the next nine months. Before we go any further, I must sort you out."

As she handed worksheets, she continued, "You will complete these quietly, I might add. You have five minutes."

Esther looked at her worksheet. She knew the first questions were about fractions, as she learned about them in the orphanage. She started doing her worksheets, while irritated about the five minute time constraint.

* * *

"Bridget Parkinson. 10 points. You sit here, dear," Miss Clarence told a girl with brown curly hair.

"Esther Dursley. 10 points. Behind her," she told Esther, pointing to the seat behind Bridget.

Esther sat down as the teacher continued to sort the students. When Miss Clarence was done sorting the students in their seats. She heard Piers snigger about Harry being in the 'dunce' row.

She scowled at him, mad that her cousin was being picked on.

They were given the subject schedule before turning to their English and Grammar books.

Esther thought she heard Dudley moan about English.

Bridget turned to talk to Esther.

"Why do you wear your hair like that?" Bridget asked her snidely.

"It just looks pretty this way," Esther remarked.

"Well, does your wardrobe consists of Little Bo Peep outfits to match your curls and ribbons?" Bridget asked her rather mockingly.

Esther wanted to slam a book at her face, but didn't, as the teacher was there.

"Stop talking. Turn to page 10," Miss Clarence ordered the class sternly.

Esther opened her English book, still red with fury about Bridget's snide comments towards her and Esther was wondering what to do to her without getting expelled.

* * *

"Dudley, what is 18 times 9?" Miss Clarence asked him when going over the math work sheet.

"162," Dudley said dumbly.

"Correct. Now Harry, will you tell me, what is 5 times 5?" Miss Clarence asked him sternly.

Harry paused for a moment before saying ", 50?"

The students laughed at the answer he made, Dudley and his gang being the loudest.

"No, Harry, it is 25 and I think you should have known the answer. That is two points taken away from your assignment," Miss Clarence replied, sternly.

"Yes, Miss Clarence," Harry replied, before he buried his head in his arms. Piers was throwing M &M's at him, but the teacher didn't notice.

"Now, Esther, what do you get after dividing 100 by 50?" Miss Clarence asked her.

"The answer is 2," Esther replied.

"Smart aleck," she heard Gordon mutter.

"Einstein," she heard Bridget snidely remark.

"That is right, Esther," Miss Clarence told her.

After going over the rest of the math problems, the class was dismissed for lunch, which was before recess.

Esther and Harry entered the school lunchroom. This was lunch period for the year 4 students of Sherwood Primary School. The plastic blue bins (labeled with the name of the teacher and the class number) were on the other side of the room. Esther and Harry waited until Dudley and his gang took their lunch pails before Esther and Harry retrieved theirs.

As they got to the lunch table that had their teacher's name marked on the end of the table, Esther and Harry sat far away from Dudley and his friends as possible. Esther opened her lunch box and took out the food that Petunia packed for her: Lunchables, yogurt, a cereal bar, a raspberry filled doughnut, a peach, and in her bottle, a peanut butter and chocolate milk shake. Seeing that Harry had a carton of milk, a PB&J sandwich and carrot sticks, Esther cut her doughnut in half by using a plastic knife.

"I hate Miss Clarence. That is humiliation, calling our names randomly to answer a question," Harry said.

"And she thinks she is teaching a secondary education then a primary one," Esther said, peeling the cover off her yogurt container.

Esther and Harry ate lunch, and talked ways to conspire against Dudley and his gang before recess started.

After the kids were let in the playground, Harry went straight to the swings, the only place he felt safe from Dudley and his gang.

Esther headed for the monkey bars when she saw Dudley and his friends head towards where Harry was.

Harry must have noticed, because he jumped from the swings and walk towards the play castle, with Dudley and his friends stalking him.

Esther was too distracted in her thoughts about how to distract Dudley when she felt a volleyball hit the back of her head. She turned to see Bridget and three other girls. "Hey, Nellie Olsen, this is our side of the playground. Go play with that retard boy in the taped glasses," Bridget said.

"Harry is not a retard, and don't associate me with the bully from _Little House on the Prairie_," Esther replied sharply.

"Oh, please, everyone hates Harry Potter. He is weird. He wears those clothes that are too big for him and his glasses are taped together. I wondered if he got them from a garbage can," one of Bridget's companions snorted.

"Ignorant are you. Well your remarks don't get me," Esther said, walking the other direction.

Bridget was really making her angry. Esther was planning a prank to put her in her place.

* * *

After recess, the class filed back in their classroom, where they learned the weekly schedule: Monday was gym, Tuesday Art, Wednesday Music, Thursday grammar, and Friday was gym again. The class went to gym class, where the class learned what the rules will be before the gym instructor told them to get into groups of two to play ball.

Esther partnered up with Harry, which caused some curious stares and dirty glances from her peers, and she caught Bridget give her the dirtiest look.

Bridget was starting to get on her bad side.

* * *

After the bell rang, which signified the end of the day, the class grabbed their book bags from the hooks in the classroom and left.

"We'll get him, Harry, we'll get him," Esther muttered to Harry, after Dudley rudely shoved Harry while leaving class for the day. During the duration of the school day, Esther noticed that Dudley and his gang, along with Bridget and her pack of female companions, ran the grade in Sherwood Primary School: do something they think is not in their agreement and you end up being their target of bullying.

Esther and Harry left the school building and headed for the car that was waiting for them, with Dudley already in the backseat.

* * *

**Just to ease confusion, Bridget Parkinson is not related to Pansy Parkinson. **


	7. The Burning Tree House

**The event in this chapter will play homage to the movie **_**Orphan **_**, though this time, it will be accidental magic on Esther's part, instead of intentional arson (Like in the movie).**

**I know I didn't mention Dudley having a tree house, I can see him having one.**

* * *

"What do you want me to make tonight? Any favorites?" Petunia asked Esther and Dudley as she pushed the shopping cart in the store. After Petunia picked Esther, Harry, and Dudley from their first day of school, she drove to the grocery store to buy more food, which they were getting low on.

"I like spaghetti," Esther said.

"Alright, dearie," Petunia replied, smiling.

"Mummy, I want this," Dudley said, holding out a big box full of Mars Bars.

"Oh, Dudley," Petunia replied.

Dudley then threw a tantrum, which caused stares among the others who were currently shopping. Esther couldn't blame them. She wanted to deck her brother, who she said to Harry behind the Dursley's back, that Dudley was a toddler in the body of a nine year old, and Esther wondered, with gloom, if Dudley will continue having these tantrums when they are all fourteen.

Fourteen was too old to have a tantrum.

"Alright, Dudders, you can have it," Petunia said, putting the box in her shopping cart.

_That is not helping any. He will think that having tantrums will get him what he wants_, Esther thought, as they moved along the shop.

* * *

Esther and Harry helped Petunia put the produce and other items on the conveyer belt in the check out lane so it can be scanned. Dudley was just reading a magazine that he got (Through a tantrum).

"Aren't you helping?" Esther asked as she put a bag of apples on the conveyer belt.

Dudley just shook his head.

_Lazy_, Esther thought, shaking her head.

She was hoping to set him straight, knowing that it will never work.

* * *

After they all go home, Esther and Harry started to help Petunia take the bags in while Dudley just went in the house without helping.

Esther knew that Dudley will be in his room, eating his Mars Bars and playing on his computer, and probably get full on ice cream, which meant he wouldn't eat the spaghetti that Petunia was going to make that night. The only time Esther was on her computer was when she wanted to look something up, and to play mind games. She hadn't used her game console which she gotten from the Dursleys, as she often said ",It is a boy thing to play video games."

Esther loved to paint and read. She was planning to finish a painting that she started the last month before reading her apparently used copy of _A Little Princess_, one of her favorite books.

After she and Harry were done with the tedious tiresome task of helping Petunia put away the groceries, Esther went upstairs to her room.

After she entered her room, she noticed that the bottom drawer of her study desk was open ajar. She always closed her desk drawers when she left the room. She opened the drawer to see that her remaining Mars Bars from the Mars Bars pack that she acquired the week before, were gone.

She suspected that it was Dudley, who probably ate all of his and when he ran out, he wanted to eat hers. She wanted to get back at him by stealing his months' supply of Skittles and pin it on Bridget.

She sat down on her stool in front of her easel a pulled out the paint and paint brushes from her container to finish her painting, which were about flowers with faces on them.

_I wish I could make these paintings move_, she thought, while trying to figure out more ways to get back at Dudley for stealing her candy bars.

She was nearly finished with her painting and needed to use one last color when she smelled smoke. Curious, she looked out the window to see the tree house that Dudley used with his friends, was engulfed in flames.

She knew she should be shocked, but she couldn't help but smile.

She soon heard Petunia run out the door and she heard a scream.

"Quick! Someone get the firemen!" Esther heard Petunia yell in fright.

She heard Dudley slam his bedroom door and as he ran down the stairs, he cried ". Mummy! Mummy!"

Esther left her bedroom to go downstairs, where she saw Harry looking confused about what happened.

"I have no idea what is happening. Do you?" Harry asked.

"It sounds like Dudley's tree house is on fire," Esther replied.

Harry replied ", Are you serious?"

Esther nodded and both of them ran to the back door to see the action, where the fire fighters were already fighting the flames.

"Dudley must be upset," Harry said, seeing the fire being doused.

Petunia, Dudley, Esther, and Harry watched as the firemen inspected the charred tree house.

"Well, this is very bizarre. A fire and no chemicals to suggest that it was arson," One of them said.

After they left, Petunia grabbed Harry by his sleeve and dragged him back in the house. "It was you! How else could the fire start?" Petunia demanded as they entered the kitchen.

Harry looked confused, and said, defending himself, "But I didn't start the fire. I can't explain how it happened. I wasn't near it."

"What? You think it spontaneously combusted?" Petunia demanded.

Dudley laughed, enjoying that Harry was about to be punished for something he didn't do.

"Well?" Petunia said, as Harry put his head down.

"You are to mow the lawn and you will get no dinner," Petunia said.

"But, mummy. It wasn't Harry who caused the tree house to be engulfed in flames, it was me," Esther said, truthfully, feeling guilty that Harry was taking the fall for something she might have cause, albeit indirectly.

"It is kind of you to take the fall for Harry's misbehavior, Esther, but he needs to learn that misbehavior like this can't go unpunished," Petunia told her.

Harry, with a look of defeat, went in his cupboard to change out of his school uniform to his hand-me-downs and left the house to mow the lawn.

Esther was feeling guilty. It was not his fault for what happened. Why was he getting the blame for some of the things that she did? It was not his fault.

As she went back up to her room, she wondered how she can make it up to Harry.

* * *

The Dursleys were sitting quietly at the table, eating dinner until Vernon spoke.

"Well, Esther, Dudley, how was your first day of school?" Vernon asked.

The question interrupted Esther's train of thought, as she was busy looking at the cupboard door under the stairs, where Petunia locked in Harry before dinner time.

"It was good," Esther lied, hoping to sound convincing. It did, as Vernon smiled.

"Well, Vernon, you know what that boy did today," Petunia said as she put the jug of grape juice on the table.

"No. what did that freak do now?" Vernon asked.

_Harry's not a freak_, Esther thought, as her fork gathered the spaghetti.

"Dudley's tree house went up in flames," Petunia said.

"Is he punished?" Vernon asked.

"I had him mow the lawn and sent him to bed without dinner," Petunia replied.

"Serves him right, that boy. Right, Dudley?" Vernon asked.

Dudley smiled and Esther kept on eating her spaghetti, while planning how to sneak dinner to Harry without the Dursleys knowing.

* * *

**Next chapter will jump two years, when the books start. **


	8. The Vanishing Glass

**Let me share you my view on Parseltongue. If a parselmouth (i.e Harry) is in a room with another parselmouth (i.e Esther), and one of them spoke to a snake, the other parselmouth in the room would understand what that person was saying to the snake, while those who don't speak parselmouth would hear the noise just like how Harry's classmates heard him when he tried to get the snake away from Justin Finch-Fletchly. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

_Two Years Later-1991_

Almost two years have passed since the Dursleys adopted Esther, but Four Privet Drive hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four. Only the photographs on the mantel showed how time had passed. Two years ago, there were pictures of a smiling boy getting affection and toys, but Dudley was no longer nine and evidence of another child came into place- A black haired girl with old fashioned curls wearing old fashioned dresses, playing with Dudley, getting awards for painting, certificates for best grades of the class, another one of her painting a picture, another one of her being kissed and hugged by her mum, and another one, on Christmas day, where it showed her holding a porcelain doll, yet the room showed no evidence of a third child that lived there.

Yes, Harry Potter was still here.

Esther, however, was in her room, also asleep at the moment, but not for long, as she heard a tapping on her door.

"Estie, dear! Wake up," she heard her mum say.

"Coming," Esther groggily replied. She turned on her bedside lamp and got out of bed. Dudley's birthday, how could she have not forgotten? Esther headed to her closet, which was still filled with the dresses and attire that the kids made fun of her for. She could hardly care. She loved dressing that way and no one should be made fun of for being different.

Esther picked out a white jumper dress that had frills at the end and a blue long sleeved, button up shirt to go under it. It was June, but it had been unusually mild, which was saying something as summer in the United Kingdom wasn't very hot.

After curling her hair and adorning her hair in dark blue ribbons, Esther left her room to go downstairs where she heard Petunia wake up Harry. Esther hurried down the stairs so she can beat Dudley to the kitchen.

"Good morning, mummy and daddy," Esther said as she went to the table and sat down. She looked to see that Dudley had lots of presents. She counted silently in her head, noticing that there were thirty-six presents. Dudley had thirty-seven on his tenth birthday, and Esther knew a Dudley-Tantrum would come on.

Esther tried to set him straight on some occasions, which never worked.

"Wake up, cousin! We're going to the zoo!" she heard Dudley yell.

She remembered the night before, when the Dursleys decided to take Harry with them because Miss Figg was seeing a sick relative, five counties away. On Dudley's birthday, they would usually take Dudley and a friend (Usually Piers, who Esther detested) to the movies, adventure parks, and hamburger restaurants, while Harry was left at Miss Figg's. Esther accompanied him during Dudley's tenth birthday, because she didn't want to be around Piers and Dennis while the Dursleys were taking Dudley and two of his friends to go see the movie _Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles_. Esther didn't mind Miss Figg, and Harry still couldn't understand that. He hated seeing pictures of all of cats that Miss Figg ever owned.

Soon, Dudley entered the kitchen and Petunia said ", Oh, here he comes, the birthday boy."

Petunia and Dudley were touching noses when Harry entered.

"Happy birthday, son," Vernon told Dudley.

"Cook the breakfast and try not to burn anything," Petunia told Harry.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

"I want everything to be perfect for my Dudley's special day," Petunia said as she covered Dudley's eyes while ushering him to his presents.

Esther gave Harry a sympathetic look while Vernon told Harry ", Hurry up! Where's my coffee, boy?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," Harry said.

Esther went and got the milk and orange juice, just in case they told Harry to get those.

For two years, she seen her adoptive parents neglect Harry and treated Harry like a male version of Cinderella, and she was surprised that Harry was used to it, where he didn't complain, but she was knew that he wished for a unknown relation to take him away from the Dursleys, and she had a feeling that he might have a Godfather somewhere.

Esther saw Petunia remove her hands from Dudley's eyes and said ", Aren't they wonderful, darling?"

Dudley paused before turning to his father and asking ", How many are there?"

_Dumb as ever,_ Esther thought. In November, in her first year with the Dursleys, she played chess with Dudley, and gave him books, hoping to make a improvement on him, but he lost the chess match with her, whined about it, and never touched the books she gave him. Esther considered that a waste of money and spent the Christmas allowance that Aunt Marge gave her to buy Harry small things for his birthday.

"Thirty-six, I counted them myself," Vernon replied.

"Thirty-six! But last year I had thirty-seven!" Dudley shouted.

_Poor kids would be happy to get half the presents you get_, Esther thought. When Esther was at St. Catherine's Home For Girl's, she got presents from a charity foundation which catered to both orphaned and impoverished children. She never got a lot but she was happy for what she got. She knew that Dudley never used half the presents he received and she used to hear Sister Margaret say ", If a child doesn't use something they receive, they should give it to charity."

"But some are quite a bit bigger than last year," Vernon told Dudley.

"I don't care how big they are!" Dudley yelled. Esther lifted her plate, in case Dudley knocked over a table in case a big Dudley-Tantrum was coming on. Harry was quick as he poured coffee into Uncle Vernon's cup.

Petunia, who also sensed it, said quickly to Dudley ", Now this is what we're going to do, is that when we go out, we'll buy you two more presents. How's that, popkin?"

"So, thirty…thirty," Dudley said.

"Thirty-eight, sweettums," Petunia said.

"Alright," Dudley said with a huge grin as he grabbed a large parcel. He received a racing bike-which confused both Harry and Esther, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise (Unless it involved Harry, his favorite punching bag)-a computer, television, VCR, a remote control airplane, a video camera (Which Esther thinks Dudley's friends might use to spy on the neighbors), and other things Esther thinks Dudley would never use.

Dudley's friend, Piers was supposed to come along to the local zoo, but he contracted the stomach flu. So without Piers, Esther and Harry's day might be good.

* * *

"It will be a lovely day. I'm looking forward to it," Petunia said as they went into the car. Dudley was carrying a big white bag that contained toffee treats and other assorted candies. After Esther and Dudley got in the car, Esther saw Harry being warned by Vernon.

"I'm warning you now, boy. Any funny business, any at all, and you won't have any meals for a week," she heard Vernon tell Harry. "Now get in."

"I wouldn't do anything," Harry quietly insisted.

But Esther knew that unfortunately, they wouldn't believe Harry. That nobody except her believes Harry.

Esther knew that Harry was blamed and punished for things she did, yet she knew that strange things happened with both her and Harry, that neither she nor Harry could explain. Like that one time with the reticulated python in the zoo from Chessington, which Harry got punished for, and Dudley's burning tree house, which Harry also got the blame for. During recess, during her second week of school when she was nine years old, Bridget, who made fun of her for her friendship with Harry and her clothes, mysteriously fell off from the top of a slide and broke her ankle. Esther never pushed her, but it got Harry punished by the Dursleys, as he happened to be near also.

Another time, Piers Polkiss, who felt the urge to be mean spirited, sheared Esther's curls off during a Halloween project with scissors. Dudley tried not to laugh, but Esther could see he wanted to. While asleep, Esther plotted ways to get back at Piers, one of them was super gluing his shoe strings, the other which might have costed a three week in school suspension: Hitting the back of his head with her big dictionary. The next day, she woke up to see that her hair grew back to the length before Piers meanly sheared it off. Petunia found that bizarre, but didn't look into it any further.

One time, Esther witnessed Petunia try to force Harry into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puffballs) and every time she tried to force him into it, The sweater became smaller and smaller until it fit a hand puppet, but not Harry. Luckily for Harry, he was never punished, as Petunia assumed that it shrunk in the wash.

Another time, Esther left class and found out that two of Dudley's friends vandalized her locker and ruined two of her books. She planned to get back at them for it and at Art class, Dennis was throwing some Skittles at her when somehow his chair moved from under him and he fell on the floor. It was ruled at as accident.

And one time, during Christmas, Harry confided in her that when he was eight, during recess, Dudley and his gang were after him when he ended up sitting on the school's roof. He only planned to jump behind the trash can, but supposed the wind caught in the mid-jump. After the headmistress written a note to the Dursleys, that Harry was climbing school buildings and he was punished. Esther found that peculiar.

As they drove to the zoo, Vernon gave Petunia a long list of complaints, among them, the topic was Harry. Esther noticed that among his favorite subjects to complain about, Harry was his most favorite thing to complain about it. Esther bit her lip from trying to speak while Vernon was complaining how Harry forgot (In his mind intentionally) to iron his best work shirt.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was filled with families. The Dursleys wanted to buy Esther and Dudley ice cream but breakfast filled them up that they didn't want any.

Esther and Harry looked at a gorilla scratching it's head. To them, it looked like Dudley, only that it wasn't brown. Soon, Dudley got bored with the animals and Harry stayed close to Esther so Dudley wouldn't fall back into his favorite habit of hitting him. Luckily, as Piers was absent, the situation was more easier.

* * *

At the reptile house, Dudley wanted to look at big snakes and they found one. Only, it was asleep. Seeing the snake in it's glass confinement, Dudley whined to his dad, "Make it move."

Vernon knocked his knuckles against the glass and said ", Move!"

Dudley did the same thing.

"He's asleep," Harry said.

"It's boring," Dudley said, and they left Harry to look at the snake.

Esther was looking at a lizard, two glasses away, and she thought she heard Harry and the snake talk to each other. To her, Harry was speaking to the snake in English.

Soon she heard Dudley yell ", Mummy, daddy, come here! You won't believe what this snake is doing!"

Dudley pushed Harry to the ground and looked into the glass. Soon, Esther and Harry saw something that stunned them.

The glass Dudley was leaning on disappeared and he fell in the place the snake lived in. Esther watched as the snake slithered out of its confine and told Harry ", _Thanks_."

"Anytime," Harry said.

As the snake slithered out, people panicked and screamed. Esther watched as Dudley got up and tried to leave the habitat when his hand touched the glass.

"Mummy! Mummy!" Dudley cried.

Petunia and Vernon screamed seeing their son trapped behind the glass. Esther wished she had her video camera, so she can show people.

Harry smiled at the sight until Vernon gave him a look, which meant he knew that Harry must have been responsible.

Harry's smile faltered and he gulped.

* * *

"It's all right sweetheart. We'll get you out of these terribly cold clothes," Petunia said to a shivering Dudley, as they went in the house. Esther went right up stairs, wanting to avoid what was going to happen next.

She heard Vernon yell ", What happened?"

"I swear, I don't know! One minute, the glass was there and it was gone, it was like magic," she heard Harry plea before she heard the cupboard door being opened, closed and locked.

"There's no such thing as magic!" Vernon told Harry.

Esther was confused: If a glass vanished like that, did magic in fact exist.

* * *

**Just to let you know, just like in the book, Harry was the one who set free the Boa Constrictor. **


	9. The Surprising Letters

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his longest ever punishment. During that time period, Esther gave Harry meals while Petunia wasn't looking. When the summer holidays started, Esther was glad that school was over. She liked learning, but she disliked some of her peers, as they made fun of the way she dressed, and like Harry, she didn't like the fact that Dudley's gang came over every day.

While Harry hid, Esther stayed her room and painted pictures as a way to escape. The next school term will start when she will start her secondary school and to her disappointment, Harry will not be with her.

Dudley was accepted into Vernon's old private school, Smeltings, Harry was to go to the local public school, Stonewall High, and For Esther, Petunia planned on enrolling her in an advanced placement private school, Perkins, which was all girls. This seemed to generate a lot of teasing from Dudley's gang, who thought Esther was a "Nerd" who belonged in "Retard Camp."

Esther thought it was the dumbest thing she ever heard.

A day after Esther's eleventh birthday, Esther accompanied Petunia and Dudley in London to buy his Smeltings uniform while Harry stayed with Miss Figg.

Smeltings' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. Esther bit her lip as she was trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the uniform.

* * *

The next morning, Dudley paraded in his Smeltings uniform. Vernon was saying how it was the proudest moment of his life as he took a picture of Dudley.

However, as Harry left his cupboard, he smelled something nasty in the kitchen.

Harry looked and asked Petunia. She snapped at him, telling that it will be his new uniform when it is done.

Seeing Dudley in his Smeltings' uniform, Harry tried not to laugh.

Soon, they heard the click of the mail slot. As usual, Harry went to get the mail. A few seconds later, Harry came back in the kitchen and Esther noticed that he put an envelope in front of her.

Curious she picked it up. The envelope was thick and heavy, made in yellowish parchment and in green words, said:

_**Ms. E. Dursley**_

_**The Third Bedroom**_

_**4 Privet Drive**_

_**Little Whinging **_

_**Surrey**_

Esther looked at the back of the envelope to see a purple wax seal that was the coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter _H_.

"Oh, Marge is ill, ate a funny whelk," Vernon begin to say as he read a postcard.

"Dad, look! Harry's got a letter," Esther heard Dudley say and she looked up to see Dudley grab an envelope that was similar to hers.

"Give it back! It's mine!" Harry said.

"Who'd be writing to you?" Vernon told Harry before looking at the seal and the front of the envelope. Vernon's face went red to green faster than a traffic light before it was grayish white of porridge.

"P-P-Petunia!" Vernon gasped.

Petunia grabbed the envelope, took the letter from there and after reading the first line, she clutched her throat and made a choking noise.

"Vernon! Oh my goodness-Vernon!" she said.

Esther, who was opening hers, was shocked when hers was ripped from her hands.

"What's going on?" she asked.

Seeing that Esther received the same letter as Harry, Vernon and Petunia gave Esther a look, as if she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Vernon and Petunia looked at each other, seeming to forget that Harry, Esther, and Dudley were still in the room.

"I want to read that letter!" Dudley said loudly.

"I want to read it, as it is _mine_!" Harry shouted.

"May I read mine?" Esther asked. She was confused by the situation.

"Esther, Dudley, go to your rooms! Harry, go in your cupboard!" Vernon shouted.

Without arguing, Esther ran upstairs while Harry and Dudley demanded to see Harry's letter until Vernon forced them where he wanted them to go.

* * *

Esther spent the rest of the day in her room, thinking about the letter that she nearly opened. What was in that letter that set her mummy and daddy off? She wished she knew but she didn't.

After Vernon came home from work, she heard him and Harry talk and Vernon ended the conversation by saying ", Don't ask questions!"

Esther soon heard Harry go up the stairs and open the door to Dudley's second bedroom. At least Dudley will have one bedroom like every other child. She heard Dudley bawl downstairs to his mother, saying that he needed that room.

Esther sometimes wished that something would happen to Dudley so it can humble him.

* * *

Next morning, breakfast was rather quiet. When the mail came, Vernon went from his chair and went in the hallway. "Aaargh!" Esther heard him scream before she heard the sound of ripping paper.

The Dursleys not wanting the letters to be read by either Harry or Esther made Esther suspicious. What was in them that made them sound bad?

* * *

The next morning, Esther was awoken by Vernon screaming. She went outside her room to investigate and as she went downstairs, she saw Vernon lying in front of the door in a sleeping bag and he yelled at Harry for half a hour before he ordered him to make him a cup of tea.

Letters addressed to Harry and Esther (Three each) went on Vernon's lap and he ripped them in front of Harry.

Vernon stayed home, drilling wood on the mail slot.

"No more mail from this letter box!" he said as he did so.

* * *

More letters for Esther and Harry came in the next few days, and as they came, the Petunia and Vernon destroyed them before they could be read.

* * *

"Fine day, Sunday. In my opinion, best day of the week. Why is that, Dudley?" Vernon asked Dudley as Harry came around with a plate of cookies during Sunday morning. Vernon looked ruffled from the stress he underwent.

Dudley shrugged and Harry asked ", Because there's no post on Sundays."

"Right you are, Harry," Vernon said as he took a cookie. "No post on Sundays."

A minute later, they all heard a noise coming from the chimney. Soon, thirty or more letters came from the chimney. Dudley cried and went on Petunia's lap while Harry leapt up to grab one. Esther sat in her chair, surprised at what was enfolding.

"Out! OUT!"

Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall. When Petunia, Esther, and Dudley had run out with their hands over their faces, Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters still streaming in the room, bouncing of the walls and floor.

"That does it," said Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. "I want you all back here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some clothes. No arguments!"

He looked so dangerous with half of his mustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the backseat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.

"Welcome to the life of Harry Potter," Esther muttered darkly while hearing Dudley sniff about it. Esther bought _The Secret Garden _to read while in the car, and she wished that Dudley would stop whining about not having television and a computer, and if Petunia or Vernon weren't around, she would be glad to hit him in the head with her rubrics cube or a toy hammer.

They drove. And they drove. Even Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive for the opposite direction for a while.

Esther wondered if he completely lost his sanity.

"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Petunia.

* * *

After spending a night in a dingy hotel, they drove again, this time, to a miserable shack on a rock on the sea. Dudley was whining, saying that he'll miss _The Great Humberto_ ("You'll do just fine without television," Esther muttered, annoyed).

Petunia found a few moldy blankets and made a bed for Dudley on the couch, while Harry had to find the softest piece of floor he can find. Esther bought with her a pillow and a sleeping bag, just in case.

She knew that the next day was Harry's eleventh birthday, and she regretted not bringing the present she bought for him the previous week (A _Scrabble _board game).

* * *

Esther slept in her sleeping bag, hearing the thunder and rain pouring down. She kept wondering about the letters, and what they were about.

She soon heard Dudley's wristwatch go off and she heard Harry say to himself ", Make a wish, Harry."

She didn't expect to be waken up in a jolt next.


	10. The Keeper Of Keys

**Most of the chapters are named after the one's in the book, but also containing scenes from the movie.**

* * *

BOOM. They knocked. Dudley jerked awake, while Esther and Harry sat up abruptly.

Dudley stood there scared as the bangs increased in intensity. Vernon, holding a rifle, with Petunia following him, turned on the light.

"Who's there?" he asked fearfully.

Soon, the door was busted down, completely off its hinges and on to the floor. Vernon screamed as did Dudley, whose back was now facing the wall. Esther and Harry hid in the corner.

A giant of a man was coming in the shack, bending as he entered. As he came in the light, the Dursley's noticed his face was nearly covered by a wild beard along with a long, mane of shaggy hair.

As the giant put his umbrella in his coat, he said ", Sorry about that."

The man lifted the door and put it back where it had been knocked off.

"I demand you leave at once, sir. You are breaking and entering!" Vernon told him, pointing his rifle at him.

The giant came towards Vernon and replied ", Dry up, Dursley, you great prune."

As the rifle went up, the giant bent the rifle upwards as if it were rubber, and the bullet went up in the sky.

Soon, the man turned to Dudley and said ", I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Harry. But you're a bit more along then what I expected. Particularly in the middle."

Confused, Dudley said ", I'm not Harry."

Harry came out of his hiding place and said ", I am."

The giant turned to Harry and said ", Of course you are. Got something for you. Afraid I sat on it at some point, but I imagine that it'll taste the fine just the same."

He handed Harry a white box that had purple yarn to keep it together.

"I baked it myself, words, and all," the man replied.

Esther, curious to see what it was, went to Harry's side as he took apart the yarn and opened the box. Inside was a large, sticky, chocolate cake with _Happy Birthday Harry_, written on it with green icing.

"Thank you," Harry said, looking up at the large man.

"Well, it is not every day your young man turns eleven, isn't it?" the giant asked before he sat down on the couch. He pointed his umbrella at the fireplace and out from the tip of the umbrella, fire shot out, and fire was now burning in the fire place.

Trying to make her presence known, Esther asked ", Who are you?"

The giant chuckled.

"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

He held out an enormous hand and as he shook Harry and Esther's hands, he shook their whole arm.

"What about tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together. He dug his hands in his coat pockets and took out a copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a word while the giant was working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Vernon said sharply ", Don't touch anything he gives you Dudley, and Esther, the same for you."

The giant chuckled darkly.

"Yer great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don' worry. Besides. Ye can't tell yer adopted daughter what to do. She looks like she could use a bite."

Esther was indeed hungry. She never ate anything real on Sunday and on Monday, all she had for breakfast was cold tined tomatoes which were on toast and stale cornflakes. Esther thought that it tasted disgusting.

He passed the sausages to Harry and Esther. Both were wolfing it down, but Harry, who was so hungry, thought he never tasted anything so wonderful, but they could never take their eyes off the giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, Harry said, "I'm sorry. But we still don't know who you are.

The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Call me Hagrid," he said, "Everyone does. An' like I told yeh two, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts. Certainly, you know all about Hogwarts."

"Um, no. We don't," Harry said, as Esther shook her head.

Hagrid looked shocked.

"Didn't you ever know where yer mum and dad learned at all, Harry? And Esther, didn't you ever know where yer mum learnt it all?" Hagrid asked Harry and Esther.

"Learned what?" Harry asked.

"You're a wizard, Harry, and Esther, you are a witch," Hagrid replied.

There was no noise in the shack with the exception of the fire crackling in the fire place and the rain and wind hitting the shack.

"We're what?" Esther asked.

"An witch and wizard. Thumping good ones, I wager, when you train up a little," Hagrid said.

Vernon closed his eyes and opened them again, as he wished it was some sort of nightmare he was in.

"But I can't be witch, as Harry can't be a wizard. We are just us," Esther replied, confused. If she were a witch, she would have somehow whisked Harry away from the abuse of the Dursleys.

"Well, 'just' Harry, and 'just' Esther, have you both made anything happen, that you couldn't explain, when you were angry or scared?" Hagrid asked them. Esther started thinking, and she now knew why she did things that she could never explain. When she was angry at Piers for pushing her aside, at Chessington, she had not thought that she got her revenge by setting the python on Piers…wondering how she was going to get back at Piers for shearing her curls, she had managed to grow it back... when Dudley took her candy bars without asking, unknowingly, she got her revenge too, by burning his tree house…and when Bridget picked on her, she also unknowingly got her revenge by somehow having pushed her, without touching her.

Hagrid gave them their letters and they both opened them.

Harry read ", _Dear Mr. Potter, we are pleased to inform you, that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry_."

"What do you mean, await our owl?" Esther asked confused after she read her letter.

"Gallopin' Gargons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping his hand on his forehead. He soon pulled out a ruffled looking owl, a long quill, and parchment from his overcoat pocket.

With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that both Harry and Esther could read upside down:

_Dear Professor Dumbledore,_

_Given Harry and Esther their letters._

_Taking them to buy their things tomorrow._

_Weather's horrible. Hope you're well._

_Hagrid_

Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, and after the owl left with the note, Hagrid closed the door.

"They will not be going. We swore when we took Harry in, we'd put a stop to all this rubbish" Vernon said.

"You knew? You knew all along and you never told me?" Harry asked, while Esther looked surprised.

"Of course we knew. How could you not be? My perfect sister being who she was. My mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. 'We have a witch in the family. Isn't it wonderful?'. I was the only one to see her for what she was: A freak! And then she met that Potter, and then she had you and I knew you would be the same. Just as strange, just as abnormal. And then if you please, she went and got herself blown up, and we got landed with you," Petunia told Harry. This shocked Esther, as she never knew her mum could have this pent up in her for years.

"Blown up? You told me my parents died in a car crash!" Harry said.

"A car crash? A car crash killed Lily and James Potter?" Hagrid asked, like it was scandalous.

"We had to say something," Petunia said, as Esther saw Dudley make way to Harry's cake.

"It's an outrage! A scandal!" Hagrid replied.

Not wanting to be forgotten, Esther asked ", What about me, mummy and daddy? When you adopted me, I never knew I was a witch. You two never knew either."

"Well, dear. It took us by surprise, but we might manage," Petunia replied, giving a weak smile.

Harry and Hagrid thought it was hypocritical. Harry's aunt and uncle considered Harry a freak for being a wizard, while the nasty shock and revelation of Esther being a witch, it didn't seem to bother them. Still, Esther was Petunia's 'Estie.'

"They will not be going," Vernon said, seeming to forget what Petunia said to Esther.

"And I suppose a great Muggle like yourself is going to stop them, are you?" Hagrid asked.

"Muggle?" Harry asked confused, wondering what the term meant.

"Non-magic folk. These two had their names down ever since they were born. There're going to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. And they'll be under the finest headmaster Hogwarts has ever seen, Albus Dumbledore," Hagrid replied.

"I will not pay to have some crackpot old fool teach them magic tricks," Vernon spat.

Obviously offended, Hagrid took his umbrella out and pointed it at Vernon. "Never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me," Hagrid said.

He looked to where Dudley was eating Harry's cake. He pointed the tip of the umbrella at Dudley's behind before a stream of light came from it and Dudley now had a pig's tail.

Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley panicked before leaving. Esther and Harry smiled at the idea of Dudley getting humiliated like that.

"I'd appreciate it if you two didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts about that. Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to do magic," Hagrid replied.

"Okay," Harry said.

Hagrid soon looked at his watch and said ", We're a bit behind schedule. Best be off."

Hagrid turned to open the door, which he broke off it's hinges when he entered.

"Unless you'd rather stay, of course," Hagrid said before leaving the shack.

Harry and Esther looked at each other before following Hagrid out the door after changing into their day clothes.


	11. Diagon Alley

**Sorry for my delays, so I will a few updates on this story. Good news: I will give a triple update tomorrow; bad news: A few keys on my laptop keyboard are not working since early this week, but I am writing with a onscreen keyboard.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

As they we're walking in downtown London, Hagrid was generating lots of stares from others passing by. After Esther and Harry left with Hagrid, they traveled by boat away from the rock on the sea and took a train to London. Harry was wearing his baggy hand me downs while Esther was wearing her old fashioned pink dress.

"All students must be equipped with, one standard size 2 pewter cauldron, and they'll bring if they desire, either a owl, a cat, or a toad," Harry said, as he read off the list that came with the letter. "Can we find all of this in London?" Harry asked.

They passed by stores and hamburger restaurants, but nothing to suggest that they sold wands or other magical items.

"If you know where to go," Hagrid said, as he crossed to a door, which the people passing it seemed to ignore. Esther and Harry had a feeling that they and Hagrid were the only ones able to notice it, as people went straight from the record store to the bookstore without noticing it.

"Leaky Cauldron, famous place," Hagrid said, as Esther saw the sign, that said _The Leaky Cauldron _hanging above it. She knew that the sign was all black in a distance.

Hagrid opened the door and they entered.

For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking from a long pipe. Hornpipe music was playing. As Hagrid crossed the counter, the bartender said ",Good day, Hagrid. The usual, I presume?"

"Not today, Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business. Just to buy Harry and his cousin, Esther here some school supplies," Hagrid said, putting his hands on their shoulders.

Looking at Harry, Tom the bartender said ", Bless my soul. It is Harry Potter."

The music in the pub stopped, the chatter stopped, and everyone looked at Harry. Esther wondered why Harry was so famous.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back," said a man in a toppled black top hat as he shook Harry's hand.

Another woman at the pub came to Harry and said ", Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter. I can't believe I'm meeting you at last."

Harry just nodded and smiled. Like Esther, he was confused why people knew him. A man standing at the corner, wearing a purple turban came to them.

"Harry..Potter. Can't tell you how pleased I am to meet you," said the man in the turban, like the words were a struggle to get out.

"Hello, professor. I didn't see you there. Harry, Esther, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher, at Hogwarts," Hagrid told them.

"Oh, nice to meet you," Harry said, wanting to shake his hand. Professor Quirrell didn't but he shook Esther's hand after she offered to shake his.

Clasping his hands, Professor Quirrell replied nervously ", Fearfully fascinating subject. Not that you need it, eh, Potter?"

"Yes, well, must be going now. Lots to buy," Hagrid said before he, Esther, and Harry left the pub through what looked like another entrance.

After stepping out of the pub, Hagrid said ", See, Harry? You're famous."

"But why am I famous, Hagrid? All those people back there, how is it they know who I am?" Harry asked confused.

"I'm not sure I'm exactly the right person to tell you that, Harry," Hagrid replied, before taking his umbrella and tapping some of the bricks on the wall in front of them.

The bricks moved apart from each other to create an archway to a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.

"Welcome," said Hagrid, "To Diagon Alley."

He grinned to see the amazed looks on Esther's and Harry's faces. They stepped through the archway. Harry and Esther looked over their shoulders and saw the archway shrink instantly back into solid wall.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons – All sizes – Copper, brass, pewter, silver – Self-stirring- Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid. "But we gotta get your money first."

Esther wished she had eight more eyes. Like Harry, she turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: The shops, things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman standing outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying ", Dragon liver, seventeen sickles an ounce, they're mad…"

A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium – Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys that were the same age as Harry and Esther had their nosed pressed up against the windows with broomsticks in it. "Look," Esther heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus Two Thousand – It's the fastest model yet." There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments that both Harry and Esther had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat speens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon…

"But Hagrid, how I am to pay for all this. We haven't any money," Harry said.

"Well, there's your money. Gringotts, the wizard bank. There ain't no other safer place. Not one. Except perhaps Hogwarts," Hagrid said, as they walked toward a tall white building with toppled pillars.

* * *

After they entered the bank, they walked to where the tellers were stationed. Esther saw weird looking creatures that were short in stature, managing the teller desks and towing small barrels of valuable items.

Harry was wondering too, as he asked Hagrid, "Excuse me, Hagrid. What exactly are these things."

"They are goblins. Clever as they come, but not the most friendly of beasts. Best stay close," Hagrid told them as they crossed to a very tall desk. Esther thought that the goblins looked rather unpleasant.

As they came to the desk, Hagrid cleared this throat to get the goblin's attention.

"Mr. Harry Potter and Ms. Esther Volkov wish to make a withdrawal," Hagrid told the goblin. At first Esther was confused as to why Hagrid used her birth surname instead of her adopted one, before the thought came to her that she has account under that name.

The goblin put down his quill and peered down to look at both Esther and Harry. "And does Mr. Potter and Ms. Volkov have their keys?" the goblin inquired.

"Wait a minute. Got them here somewhere," Hagrid said, before he buried his hands in his coat pockets. A few seconds later, Hagrid said, holding two keys, with their vault numbers printed them ", Aha! Here are the little devils."

After he set the keys on the teller desk, Hagrid added ", And there's something else as well."

He pulled out a piece of parchment tied in rope, he continued ", Professor Dumbledore gave me this."

After he handed the goblin the piece of parchment, Hagrid whispered to the goblin, but loud enough in which Esther and Harry could hear ", It's about You – Know – What in vault you – know – which."

"Very well," said the goblin.

* * *

After leaving the main room, they entered a dark cave like structure and got on carts. After many curves and twists, Griphook, the goblin with them, announced ", Esther Volkov - Vault 516."

After Griphook got on the platform in front of the vault, he said ", Lamp, please."

After Hagrid did so, Griphook said ", Key, please."

Esther was now in front of the vault with Hagrid as Hagrid gave Griphook the key marked _# 516_.

After Griphook unlocked the vault, the door opened by itself in the vault were piles and piles of golden coins, silver coins, and bronze coins. Esther had never seen this much money in her life.

"I don't think your mum would leave you with nothing though, did you," Hagrid told Esther, who was staring at the mountains of coins in her vault. She took her small red velvet bag out of the purse she carried and scooped up coins until it filled the whole bag before Esther put the bag in her purse.

* * *

They left Gringotts, after visiting Harry's vault, which had a lot of money in there too, but three piles less then hers and the vault 713, which from there, Hagrid took a grubby small package and placed it in his breast pocket.

Esther didn't know where to run first with a bag full of money. Like Harry, Esther didn't know how many Galleons there were to a pound to know that she was holding more money than she had in her whole life – More money than even Dudley ever had. And more money than the allowance she get for the holidays.

Harry went in Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions while Esther went to the shop next to it, Flourish and Blotts.

Looking at her list of required supplies, Esther headed to where they sold text books. As she picked out the books that were required, she heard a boy say ", Mum, look. Gilderoy Lockhart has published a new book."

Esther turned to see a blond haired boy about her age showing a big book to a tall woman who had hair that Esther considered strange: the woman with the blond haired boy had blond hair on the sides and brown hair on top, like a ice cream sundae.

"Yes, Draco. Now, come along, we musn't keep your father waiting," the woman told the boy, before seeing Esther. "Looking for someone or something, dear?" the woman asked her in a considerate tone.

"Nothing, miss, just looking around," Esther replied, knowing that Petunia told her _not to talk to strangers_.

"Okay, dear. Now, come along, Draco," the woman said to her son. Draco gave Esther one last look saying, _I wish I could say 'hi' _before following his mother.

Esther got a few more books so she can learn more about the Wizarding World, like _Modern Magical History_, _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century, Hogwarts, A History, The Four Houses: Information on the houses of Hogwarts, _and out of adventurous curiosity _Curses and Countercurses _by Professor Vindictus Viridian. She also bought two books on Charms, both simple and advanced.

After paying for her books, she went to Madam Malkins to get fitted for her uniform while Harry and Hagrid waited outside. After a few minutes, Esther followed Hagrid and Harry to Flourish and Blotts.

* * *

After going into other shops to buy the things they need (Esther went into Eeylops and bought a screech owl), Harry and Esther looked at their lists to see what else they needed. "I still need, a wand," Harry replied.

"A wand? You want Ollivanders'. There Ain't no place better," Hagrid said to them, pointing to a shop that said Oliivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

"You two run along there and wait. I got one more thing I got to do. Won't be long," Hagrid said.

* * *

Esther and Harry entered the wand shop, holding their packages. After setting them down, Harry asked ", Hello?"

Soon, a ladder slide in sight and there was a old man, looking like he expected them.

"I wonder when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter and Ms. Volkov," said the old man, who Esther presumed was Ollivander. He got off the ladder and said, as he looked at boxes, "It seems only yesterday that your mother and father were in here buying their first wands."

Ollivander pulled out a green long thin box and set it on his desk. "Here we are," he said to Harry, handing him the wand.

The first wand, didn't work with Harry, nor the second one Ollivander picked out, until the third wand (holly and Phoenix feather) worked for Harry.

"Now, Esther Volkov, I remembered the wand your mother purchased. Maple and unicorn hair. It was quite good for transfiguration," Ollivander said to Esther, taking a long brown box and putting it on his desk.

As he took out the wand, Ollivander said ", Dragon bone and phoenix feather, thirteen and a half inches. Unyielding."

He handed the wand to Esther, who felt a warm sensation as she held it. She gave it a wave and red and yellow wind came around her.

As Ollivander wrapped the packages, he said ", Curious."

"Sorry, but what's curious?" Harry asked.

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feathers reside in your and Esther's wands, gave another feather. Just one other. It is curious that you two should be destined for these wands, when their brother gave you that scar," Ollivander said to Harry, and he looked at Esther like he knew something that she didn't.

"And who owned that wand?" Harry asked.

"We do not speak his name. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It's not always clear why. The same wand I sold to Esther is uncannily similar to that other wand with the phoenix feather I mentioned: Dragon bone, phoenix feather, 12 and a half inches. Quite powerful too. But I think it is clear, that we can expect great things from you two. After all, _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named _did great things. Terrible yes, but great," Ollivander said.

Soon, Harry and Esther heard a knocking on the window and saw Hagrid holding a cage containing a snowy owl. "Harry, Harry. Happy birthday," Hagrid said.

"Wow," Harry said looking at the owl.

* * *

The three of them, were at the Leaky Cauldron, sitting at a table, eating lunch.

"You all right, Harry? You seem very quiet," Hagrid asked Harry in concern.

Harry replied ", He killed my parents, didn't he? The one that gave me this," and Harry pointed at his scar. "You know Hagrid. I know you do."

Hagrid paused before saying, "First, and understand this because it is very important: Not all wizards are good. Some of them go bad. A few years ago, there was one wizard who went as bad as you can go. His name was V-." Hagrid took a deep breath before saying again ", His name was V.."

"Maybe if you write it down," Esther suggested.

"No, I can't spell it," Hagrid said before continuing ", All right, Voldemort."

"Voldemort?" Harry asked.

"Voldemort?" Esther asked also.

Hagrid shushed them before saying ", It was dark time, dark times. Voldemort started to gather some followers. Brought them over to the dark side. Anyone that stood up to him, ended up dead."

Looking at Harry, Hagrid told him ", Harry, your parents fought against him. But nobody lived once he decided to kill them. Nobody, not one. Except you."

"Me? Voldemort tried to kill me?" Harry asked.

Yes. That ain't no ordinary cut on your forehead, Harry. A mark like that only come from being touched by a curse, an evil curse at that," Hagrid replied.

"What happened to _You-Know-Who_?" Harry asked.

"Well, some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Nope, I reckon he's out there still too tired to carry on. But one thing's certain, Harry. Something about you stumped him that night. That's why you're famous. That's why everyone knows your name. You're the boy who lived," Hagrid told Harry.

Esther, wanting Harry to get a break from all that information, asked Hagrid ", Hagrid, what about my mum. You mention her, but I don't know her name."

"Well, Esther. Your mum was on the side that fought _You-Know-Who_. Name was Anastasia Volkov. Nice girl, came from a Russian family of wizards and witches. Unfortunately, on December 23rd, when you were six months old, two followers of Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr., came to the house your mother lived in and killed her. Luckily, Lily Potter was babysitting you at the time, so you weren't kidnapped," Hagrid replied.

"Kidnapped? What did those two want with me?" Esther asked.

Hagrid took a deep breath. Dumbledore sworn him to secrecy if Esther asked that question, so Hagrid replied ", Probably to intimidate your mother to join the dark side. Voldemort did that. Kidnapped a family member, a infant at times, to get a certain person to join him. I don't know, that it the rumor."

"Two nutcases killed my mum," Esther said to herself seething before asking ", What about my dad?"

Hagrid, knowing that she might ask that question, changed the subject ", Oh. I forgot. These are your tickets."

He pulled out two tickets and gave it to them.

Esther was wondering why Hagrid changed the subject when she saw the words _Platform 9 ¾ _on her ticket.

What was platform 9 ¾?

* * *

**The wizarding world knows that Esther is the daughter of Voldemort, but they think she is too young to know. Also, Esther, has the same kind of wand, as it also would look like it was carved from a bone, but the handle on her wand is different than Voldemort's. **


	12. Platform Nine and Three Quarters

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Esther's last month at the Dursleys was slow. Unlike Harry, who they didn't boss around anymore, who they didn't lock in his cupboard, shout at him, and where Dudley wouldn't stay in the same room with Harry as he was scared with him, with Esther, they acted like nothing ever happened. They still doted on her and acted like she can do no wrong, though it greatly shocked them that the girl they adopted was a witch. Unlike Vernon, Petunia was used to having a witch in the house, despite her condemnation of them. Petunia and Vernon knew that Esther was smart enough to not show that she was a witch in the house.

However, Vernon still could not get over the nasty shock that the orphan girl that he adopted with Petunia was a witch. He knew he had a slight misgiving when he and Petunia met her two years prior. But in his defense, he never knew she was a witch, neither did Petunia when they adopted her, thus it justified the reason they still dote on her after they found out. In Vernon's mind, Esther was smart enough not to flaunt that "freakish" part, unlike his nephew.

Esther kept to her room, with her new owl for company. She decided to call her Gertrude, a name Esther thought suitable for a female pet. Her school books and the extra books she bought for background reading were interesting. She and Harry would build a fort in her room and read their books until Petunia told them it was bedtime. In Esther's room, Gertrude would swoop in and out of the open window as she pleased. Before Petunia would come to vacuum, Esther would discard the rats that Gertrude would bring and throw them out the window. Every night before she went to sleep, Esther crossed off the date on her calendar, counting down to September.

On the last day of August, Esther went in the living room, carrying her much used copy of _A Little Princess_. Dudley and Vernon were in the room, watching a quiz show. Esther saw Harry enter the room. After a minute of not being noticed by Vernon and Dudley, Harry cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and Dudley screamed and ran from the room. Esther shook her head at the sight.

"Er – Uncle Vernon," Harry asked Vernon.

Vernon grunted to show that he was listening.

Er – Esther and I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to…to go to Hogwarts," Harry said.

Esther closed to her book, wondering what Vernon might do.

Vernon grunted again.

"Would it be alright if you gave us a lift?" Harry asked.

Grunt. Harry supposed it meant yes.

"Thank you," Harry said.

Before he went upstairs, Vernon started to actually speak to him.

"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got punctures, have they?" Vernon asked.

Harry didn't say anything, but Esther spoke up. "Magic carpets are illegal in Britain."

Vernon didn't say anything but turned his attention to Harry. "Where is this school, anyway?" Vernon asked him.

"I don't know," Harry said, while Esther whispered ", Scotland."

Harry pulled the ticket that Hagrid gave him out of his pocket.

"Esther and I just take the train from platform 9 ¾ quarters at eleven o'clock."

Vernon stared while Petunia kept her silence. Petunia distracted Esther, by saying ", Estie, dear. I am making your favorite meal tonight before you leave."

"Lasagna?" Esther asked her.

"Yes, dearie, and your favorite desert, strawberry shortcake," Petunia said.

Esther smiled before listening in on the conversation between Harry and Vernon.

"Barking. Howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see. You'll just wait. All right, we'll take you two to King's Cross. We're going to London anyway, besides Esther is going the same place as you, or else I wouldn't bother," replied Vernon.

"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked.

"Taking Dudley to the hospital," Vernon growled. "Got to have that ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."

* * *

Esther woke up at five o'clock the next morning, like Harry, and was too excited and nervous to go back to sleep. She got up and put on her blue dress with the thin white plaid designs because she didn't want to walk into the station with her witch's robes – she'd change on the train.

She checked her Hogwarts list yet again to make sure she had everything she needed, saw that Gertrude was safely locked away in her cage, and passed the time by reading her book, waiting for her family to get up. Two hours later, Esther's and Harry's huge, heavy trunks were loaded in the Dursley's van. Dudley, fearful of Harry, sat next to Esther instead before they set off.

They reached King's Cross station half past ten. Petunia put Esther's trunk into a cart and wheeled it for her, while Vernon did so for Harry. Harry thought it was strangely kind of Vernon until Vernon stopped dead, facing the platforms, with a nasty grin on his face.

"Well, there you are boy. Platforms 9 and 10. Your platform should be something in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it yet, do they?" Vernon asked.

"Good luck, Esther. Remember to write to mummy and daddy," Petunia told her, while Harry stared at the platform barriers.

"Have a good term," Vernon said. He gave Harry an nastier grin, but he gave a warm smile to Esther. He left without another word, though he and Petunia lingered to give Esther a hug good-bye. Soon, Harry saw the Dursleys leave. Esther and Harry wondered what to do, as they were getting funny looks because of their owls.

"What shall we do?" Harry asked her.

"I think we go through the barrier," Esther said.

"Go through it? We'll end up with knocked out teeth," Harry said.

Harry soon saw a guard and he asked. The guard thought he was bluffing and he walked away.

Soon, Esther and Harry heard a woman say "- Packed with Muggles of course."

Harry and Esther swung around. The speaker was a plump woman talking to all four boys, all of them had flaming red hair. Like Harry and Esther, they were pushing the same cart, and one of them had an _owl_.

Heart hammering, Esther followed them, Harry behind her. They stopped and so did Esther and Harry.

"Alright, Percy, you first," the woman said, with a young girl at her side.

The oldest boy faced the barrier and went through the barrier, and vanished without anyone noticing them.

Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"Fred, you next," the woman told one of the boys, who looked like another.

"He's not Fred. I am," the boy said before his twin continued ", Honestly, woman, you call yourselves our mother."

"Sorry, George," said the mother.

As the boy passed her, he said "I'm only joking. I am Fred."

Soon, he disappeared into the barrier followed by his twin.

"Excuse me," Harry said to the woman, as he and Esther came towards her. "How do we get on…"

"How to get on to the platform. Not to worry, dears. It's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well. Now all you got to do, is walk straight to the barrier between nine and ten. Best do a run if you are nervous," the woman told him kindly.

"Good luck," said the little red haired girl standing by the red haired woman. Without hesitating, Esther positioned her cart facing the middle of the platform and ran straight at it, pushing her cart. Soon, she found herself at a platform that had a scarlet steam engine.

She looked in wonder as she seen the overhead sign saying _Hogwarts Express. Platform 9 ¾. _

Her day could not get any fantastic.

* * *

After the train left the station, Esther put on her school robes, as she never knew how long the train ride was.

Esther and Harry sat in their compartment, looking at the countryside that passed the windows.

The compartment door opened and they saw the youngest of the red haired boys of that family they saw on the platform.

"Excuse me. Do you mind? Everywhere else is full," he said.

"Not at all," Harry said.

The boy smiled and sat across from Esther and Harry.

"I'm Ron by the way. Ron Weasley," the boy introduced.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter, and this is my cousin, Esther Dursley," Harry introduced.

Looking at Harry, Ron said ", So, it's true. Do you really have the.."

"The what?" Harry asked.

"The scar?" Ron asked whispering.

"Oh," Harry smiled as he lifted his bangs.

"Wicked," Ron replied.

"Honestly. It is not cool, if a murderer gave it to him," Esther replied.

"I'm just saying that it looks like a lightning bolt, that's all," Ron hastily replied.

Soon, a woman pushing a trolley full of sweets came in front of their compartment and asked ", Anything off the trolley, dears?"

Holding up a sandwich, Ron said ", No thanks, I'm all set."

But Esther could tell that he looked wistfully at the candy in the trolley. Harry seemed to notice, as he said "We'll take the lot."

Harry pulled out coins from his pocket.

"Whoa," Ron said, like he never seen that much money in his life.

* * *

"Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans?" Harry asked Ron as Esther opened a Chocolate Frog.

"They mean every flavor. There's chocolate and peppermint, and also, spinach, liver, and tripe. George swears he got a boogie flavor one once," Ron replied.

Hearing that, Esther threw her box aside. She wasn't going to stumble on something nasty tasting by accident. What if she came across one that tastes like vomit?

"These aren't real frogs aren't they?" Harry said, holding a box containing a Chocolate Frog.

"It's just a spell. Besides, it's the cards you want. Each pack has got every famous witch and wizard. I got about 100 me self," Ron replied.

Esther watched as the frog leaped from the window.

Harry looked at his card and said ", I got Dumbledore."

"I got about six of him," Ron replied.

"He's gone," Harry said, after looking at his card.

"You can't expect him to hang around all day, can you?" Ron said, before asking Esther ", What did you get."

"Salazar Slytherin," Esther said, in great disgust.

"I stumbled upon that card once. I burnt it," Ron said, seeing Esther rip the card in two. "How do you know about Slytherin house?"

"Read about it, in a few books about Hogwarts that I bought for background reading. Heard it has a bad reputation for sprouting dark wizards and witches. I would rather be in either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. Hufflepuff seems okay, but I don't want the sorting hat to place me in Slytherin," Esther replied.

"I'm with you. My whole family has been in Gryffindor, but imagine if Hogwarts put me in Slytherin," Ron said.

"The bullies are the ones who get sorted, I bet," Esther replied.

Changing the subject, Ron pointed to his pet rat, whose head was in a Bertie Bott's box, "This is Scabbers, by the way. Pathetic isn't he?"

"Does he have a toe missing?" Esther said, looking at the rat's front feet.

"Yes. He always had a toe missing. He probably got in a fight with a cat," Ron replied. "Fred gave me a spell to turn him yellow. Want to see?"

Harry and Esther nodded.

After pulling out his wand, Ron cleared his throat and began to say ",Sun…"

They were interrupted when a girl with frizzy brown hair, also wearing her school robes, appeared at their compartment door.

"Have you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost one," she said before saying ", Oh, you're doing magic. Let me see then."

"Sunshine daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow," Ron said. It only removed the box from the rat's head.

"Are you sure that's a real spell? It's not very good, isn't it? I tried a few simple ones myself, but they all worked for me," the girl said, before sitting next to Esther that made the brown haired girl sit across from Harry.

The girl pointed her wand between Harry's eyes and said ", For example, _Oculus Repairo_."

Soon, Harry took off his glasses, to see that they were fixed, as if nothing happened to them. "That's better isn't it," the girl said before seeing his scar, saying ", Holy cricket, you're Harry Potter. I'm Hermione Granger," she turned to Ron and asked ", and you are?"

"Ron Weasley," Ron said, his mouth full.

"Pleasure," Hermione said, not liking that he talked with his mouth full. "What's your name," she asked Esther.

"Esther Dursley," she said.

"Pleasure to meet you," Hermione replied, shaking her hand, before telling Ron and Harry, "You two better change into your robes. I expect we'll be arriving soon."

Hermione got up to leave but she turned to Ron and said ", You got dirt on your nose by the way. Did you know? Just there."

* * *

It was nighttime by the time the Hogwarts Express arrived at the train station to Hogwarts.

"All right, first years. This way, please. Come on, first years don't be shy," Esther heard Hagrid say outside the train before she, Harry, and Ron left their compartment.

They looked around their surroundings.

"Hello, Harry," Hagrid greeted.

"Hey, Hagrid," Harry greeted.

"Whoa," Ron said, looking a Hagrid's height.

"All right, this way to the boats, follow me," said Hagrid leading the first years.

* * *

**R & R**


	13. The Sorting Hat

**Just to let you know, Esther will not be part of the Golden Trio. Like Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Ginny Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, and Luna Lovegood, she will be their friend and ally. **

**For anyone asking, the Slytherin prefect, Gemma Farely, was introduced on **_**Pottermore**_**. I wasn't sorted into Slytherin, much to my disappointment. I looked up the welcoming letters, as I was curious. For those that want to add me on **_**Pottermore**_**, my username is on my profile here. I'll be in Hufflepuff waiting. **

* * *

After the boat ride to Hogwarts, the first years entered the castle and went up the stairs where they met a severe looking woman wearing green velvet robes, and a witch's hat.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. Now in a few moments you will pass through these doors and join your classmates, but before you can take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Now while you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup," said the woman greeting them

Soon, a boy yelled ", Trevor!"

After he grabbed his toad, there was some laughter and the woman looked at the boy who interrupted.

"Sorry," he said, stepping back.

"The sorting ceremony will begin momentarily," she continued before leaving them.

"It's true then, what there're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts," Esther heard a familiar voice say, before seeing the blond haired boy she saw at Flourish and Blotts.

Murmurs followed after Harry's name was said.

"This is Crabbe, and Goyle," Draco introduced the two boys by him before saying ", and I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy."

Ron suppressed a snicker. Hearing it, Draco turned to him said ", Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask you yours. Red hair, and a hand me down robe. You must be a Weasley."

Draco turned to Harry and said ", You'll soon find out that there are other better families, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

Draco offered his hand, but Harry didn't take it. "I can see the wrong sort for myself thanks," Harry replied.

Draco was about to say something when the woman came back, hitting a scroll on Draco's head. Draco glared at Harry before leaving where he was.

"We're ready for you now, follow me," she said, leading the first years through the door. As they entered, the students looked in awe to see the large room with candles floating and a ceiling that looked as if it were the nighttime sky.

Esther heard Hermione behind her tell someone that it was bewitched to make it look like the nighttime sky.

The woman led them to a stool, holding a worn witch's hat. She picked up the hat, and unrolled her scroll, before saying ", When I call your name, you shall come forth, I'll place the sorting hat on your head, and you'll be sorted into your houses."

She looked at the scroll and said ", Hermione Granger."

Hermione came up and sat on the stool, and the woman placed the hat on her head. It was a few seconds before the sorting hat shouted ", GRYFFINDOR."

Hermione smiled as she reached the table full of cheering students in red and yellow pinstriped ties.

The woman looked at the scroll again before saying ", Draco Malfoy."

Draco smugly went up to the stool and the sorting hat barely touched his head when it said "SLYTHERIN."

Draco smirked as he left the stool.

"There's not a witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin," she heard Ron whisper to Harry.

A girl named Susan Bones was called and she was made a Hufflepuff.

"Esther Dursley," the woman called.

Esther nervously walked towards the stool, and she sat on it. After the hat was placed on her head, it whispered to her, "_Ambitious, sly, cunning, not bad, not bad. Intelligent no doubt. You will prove to be great. I know where to place you…_SLYTHERIN!"

_Oh no_, Esther thought miserably. Her smile faded and the Slytherin table erupted in cheers. She didn't want to be in Slytherin house. With a glum expression, she walked towards the table that had students wearing green and silver ties, while Harry and Ron looked on with somber expressions and Ron whispered to Harry, "that's rough luck."

As Esther sat down at the Slytherin table, she was given a pat on the back by a older girl, that wore a badge that had the letter _P_. on it.

"Don't look sad, Esther. My name is Gemma Farley," the girl introduced kindly, shaking Esther's hand. Gemma Farley had dark blond hair and green eyes, with a hint of freckles under her eyes.

"Nice to meet you," Esther said, before watching the sorting take place. Ron was made a Gryffindor, so was Harry. How she wished she was in Gryffindor with them, not in Slytherin with Draco. A girl named Pansy Parkinson became a Slytherin, and the sorting ended when a Ernie Macmillian was sorted into Hufflepuff.

Soon, after the woman took the stool and hat away from view, an old wizard, with a long beard and blue attire, came to a podium. Esther somehow knew that he was Albus Dumbledore.

"Welcome, welcome, to another year at Hogwarts and to all the first years. Before we have our feast, I shall make a few announcements. Professor Quirrell, our former Muggle Studies teacher, has kindly consented to take the post as Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher," Dumbledore announced. Professor Quirrell nervously stood up, and acknowledged the cheering student body before sitting back down. "And Ms. Charity Burbage has kindly agreed to take his post. I will also announce that the Forbidden Forest is strictly forbidden to all students."

"And I will say that our Care taker, Argus Filch, has asked me to remind you, that the third floor corridor, on the right hand side, is off limits, to anyone who wishes not to die a painful death. Thank you, let the feast begin," Dumbledore said.

Much to Esther's amazement, the food appeared right before their eyes, prepared for them. That seemed to cheer her up, at her grave disappointment of being sorted into Slytherin house.

As they helped themselves, Millicent Bulstrode, a first year sorted into Slytherin said ", My family is mostly pureblood. I have a muggle aunt though. You get used to it for a few weeks."

"My mum was pureblood, but she died when I was six months old," Esther said, cutting up a piece of stake on her plate.

"Interesting, though Dursley sounds like a muggle last name," Pansy told her.

"I was in a muggle orphanage for the first nine years of my life, until Harry Potter's aunt and uncle adopted me," Esther replied, feeling like she shouldn't tell this to students who might be bigots.

"Oh, so you are a muggle born," Goyle told her, with a nasty grin on his face.

"Goyle, you're stupid," Draco told him, before turning to Esther and said ", Sorry about him. Crabbe and Goyle can be stupid. So, you must be pureblood."

"Well, my mum was, but I asked about my dad, they change the subject," Esther said.

Draco looked confused but he soon turned to Goyle, asking him if he knew if he could count to twenty.

Soon, the chatter stopped as flurry of ghosts came in the room. A ghost merrily laughing, while playfully moving a sword, floated above the Slytherin table.

"It's the Bloody Baron," a Slytherin girl said.

After he stopped at the middle of the table, Gemma asked him ", Good evening, Bloody Baron. Had a nice summer?"

"It was dismal. That Peeves the Poltergeist keeps causing mischief," he said, before he floated farther down the table.

"I know you, you're the Bloody Baron," Crabbe told him.

"Yes, of course, I am," he replied.

From Gryffindor table, Esther heard Hermione ask a ghost ", Nearly Headless. How can you be nearly headless?"

Esther turned to see the Gryffindors talking to a ghost in a ruff. He pulled his head by tugging his ear, which caused people to cringe.

After everyone was full from the feast and desert, Dumbledore came to the podium once more.

"Before all of us go to bed, let's sing the school song," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "Everybody stand."

"He does this every year," Esther heard a male Slytherin seventh year say. "He's a genius and all, but the school song is rather stupid."

Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and words appeared on it.

"Off we go," said Dumbledore.

And the school bellowed:

"_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something please,_

_Whether we be old and bald_

_Or young with scabby knees,_

_Our heads could do with filling _

_With some interesting stuff,_

_For now they're bare and full of air,_

_Dead flies and bits of fluff,_

_So teach us things worth knowing,_

_Bring back what we've forgot,_

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest,_

_And learn until our brains all rot_"

After everyone finished singing, the prefects were instructed to lead the first years to the common rooms of their house.

* * *

"Slytherins, follow me and keep up please, thank you," Gemma told them, as she and another prefect led the first years.

"Hufflepuff follow me. This way," a prefect wearing a yellow and black tie told a group of first year Hufflepuffs before descending the stairs.

"Our dormitories are in the dungeons, so stay close," Gemma told them, as she led the group downstairs.

The dungeons were cold, and Esther had a feeling that they were underwater, as the corridors felt moist. They passed a classroom marked _Potions – Professor S. Snape _as they were led to another corridor and down one level.

Gemma faced a stone wall and said ", Dolosus."

The wall slide open and she led them down through stone steps until they entered a large room with elegant green furnishings and through the windows, they saw that they were under the lake.

Esther, who was previously disappointed on being sorted into Slytherin, couldn't help but admire the common room.

"Welcome to the Slytherin common room. Boys, your dormitory is on the left, girls, the same on your right. You will see that all of your stuff has been already bought up," said the male Slytherin prefect.

Gemma led Esther and the other first year Slytherin girls to their dormitory, marked _first years_. There were five poster beds with deep green silk curtains and the bed covers looked like tapestries and by each bed, a trunk and a cage containing their animals.

They were too tired to talk, as they shrugged on their night clothes. "Fascinating, isn't it," said a blond haired girl, who Esther heard was Daphne Greengrass.

"Please, Daphne, I know. The Mudbloods and blood traitors in this school might be too excited to sleep," Pansy said.

"What does Mudblood mean?" Esther asked, grabbing her copy of _A Little Princess_.

"It means that you are a muggle born. They don't belong at Hogwarts," Pansy said, full of contempt.

"I live with Muggles," Esther pointed out.

"Yes, I heard, and I don't like you. Besides, should you be in Gryffindor, where your cousin is? It is a shame that you are related to Harry Potter, a Gryffindor," Pansy said, before leaving the dormitory.

"Don't mind her, Esther. She gets carried away," Daphne told her. "Most Slytherins forget that we might have some muggle in us."

Esther nodded before sliding under her covers. After ten minutes of reading, she put her book on her nightstand and went to sleep.

* * *

**If Voldemort did have a child, because of the heritage, said child would be sorted into Slytherin house. Also, If Leena Klammer was in Hogwarts, she would be no doubt, a Slytherin.**


	14. The Potions Master

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Esther woke up and after putting on her uniform, carrying her bag of school books, she left the Slytherin girl's dormitory and the common room.

After breakfast in the Great Hall, Esther met up with Harry and Ron to find classes.

"How's Slytherin?" Ron asked her.

"One day into Hogwarts, and I loathe Pansy Parkinson," Esther said, clutching her Transfiguration book.

"There, look," Esther heard someone

"Where?" asked another

"Between the boy with red hair and the Slytherin girl," answered another person.

"Wearing the glasses?" asked another

"Did you see his face?" an person also asked

"Did you see his scar?" a student asked as well.

Esther noticed that people tried to get a look at Harry Potter. People would stand on their tip toes to get a good look at him or double back in the corridor to get a good look at him. Esther could tell it annoyed Harry.

"Being famous must be a nightmare. I'm glad that Voldemort didn't fail to kill me and left a scar on my forehead," Esther replied.

Ron was about to protest but said nothing. Harry knew what Esther meant by this: She was glad that she was not followed around by fans. Harry knew how much she hated being sorted into Slytherin, but maybe it had to do with her personality.

The first class they went to was Transfiguration. The class was nearly filled up and Esther tried to avoid sitting next to someone from Slytherin, as she sat next to the boy that lost his toad. Seeing her Slytherin badge on her robes, he gave her a nervous look and said ", Hello."

"Hello, my name is Esther Dursley, and I see that you are Neville Longbottom," Esther greeted him, extending her hand.

Neville was not sure if he should shake the hand of someone from Slytherin house, but he did anyway. "Nice to meet you," he said. Neville wished he could sit next to a boy in Gryffindor, Seamus Finnegan, but he was already sitting with a tall black boy named Dean Thomas and Harry was sitting next to Ron. Anyone not in Slytherin would do, in his opinion.

The cat standing on Professor McGonagall's desk leaped from the desk and transformed into Professor McGonagall.

She gave them a talk-to as the class quieted down.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She made them write complicated notes and gave them a match to turn it into a needle. Esther could see that Neville was struggling. She offered to help him, but he refused it. By the end of the lesson, besides Hermione Granger, Esther had also made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how the two matches have gone silver and pointy and gave both Esther and Hermione a rare smile.

The next class was Defense Against The Dark Arts, which everyone looked forward to. It turned out to be a joke. The classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which was said to protect Professor Quirrell from a vampire, who he feared might still be after him. Professor Quirrell made them write notes and gave Esther 20 points for Slytherin for helping Neville write them down. When asked about his turban, he told them that it was given to him as a thank-you gift for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, though Esther thought it was a bit far fetched and when Seamus Finnegan asked him how he fought the zombie, Quirrell went pink and began talking about the weather.

History of Magic proved to be the most boring class. It was only taught by a ghost, Professor Binns, who one day fell asleep on a chair in front of a fire in the staff room and left his body behind when he got up to teach. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.

It was then lunch time in the Great Hall and the students sat in their respectable tables.

"We have Potions next," Esther said, reading her schedule.

"Professor Severus Snape teaches that class. My father knows him. They have been friends since they were here at Hogwarts. He even favors us," Draco replied.

"What do you do with this?" Crabbe asked Draco, holding out a Rubrics Cube.

Draco took it from his hands and said ", Who gave you this?"

"I wanted to copy Dursley's Transfiguration notes and I found this," Crabbe said.

"You don't steal from a fellow Slytherin," Draco told him before tossing it back to Esther. "Also, it's muggle rubbish."

"Besides, I had a hard time wondering what it was. It is hard," Crabbe complained.

"The rubrics cube is a game, which involves your mind. All you do is put one color on each side," Esther said. "Maybe I shall challenge you to Wizard's chess."

Crabbe looked horrified.

"That game is hard," he complained.

"Shut up, Crabbe, why not. Maybe, I shall hold a match after lessons, to see if you can do it," Draco told him. "Or maybe, I can see if you can solve that muggle object."

Esther had a unfortunate feeling that Crabbe and Goyle were not very bright, and that Draco always told them every second.

After lunch, they all headed down to the dungeons where the Potions class was located. Esther took her seat next to a Hufflepuff first year, who introduced himself as Ernie Macmillian. As Snape bursted in the room, he said ", There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition," Snape said, and he was looking at both Draco and Esther (who was confused why he did, as she never brewed a potion before) as he said it. " I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death."

Esther noticed that Snape looked at Harry, as he said ", Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention."

Harry stopped writing with his quill and looked up at Snape.

"Mr. Potter. Our new celebrity," Snape told Harry as he came in his view.

Snape humiliated Harry by asking him three questions, after which Harry failed to give the right answer three times, Snape told him ", Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?"

Snape told Harry the right answers before taking a point from Gryffindor "for his cheek".

Esther could get the hint that Snape didn't like Harry, or maybe he even hated him.

Snape then put them into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. Seeing that Neville, Ernie, and Harry already had a partner, she had no choice but to partner up with Blaise Zabani, a fellow first year also from Slytherin. Snape swept around the room, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except Draco and Esther, who he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Draco had stewed his horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing sound filled the dungeon. Neville had managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a twisted blob, causing the potion to seep into the floor. Everyone got on their stools as Neville was drenched in the potion, and he moaned in pain as angry boils sprang up all over his arms and legs.

"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing away the spilled potion with a wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?"

Neville whimpered as boils started to pop all over his nose.

"Take him to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Esther's stomach turned into a knot seeing Snape rounding on Harry and Ron who had been working next to Neville. What was Snape going to do to Harry?

"You – Potter – Why didn't you tell him to add the quills? Thought he'd make you look good if he'd got it wrong, did you? That's another point you lost from Gryffindor," Snape said.

Esther could tell it was unfair, and Harry tried to speak when Ron whispered to him, "Don't push it. I heard Snape can turn very nasty."

They soon were ordered to put a sample of their potions in a phial to be graded and before they left, Snape gave them a ten page parchment packet for homework.

"Homework on the first day? I want to see Crabbe figure out Dursley's Rubrics Cube," Draco complained, as they left the dungeons to go to Charms class.

"What was that about?" Ron asked Esther after she joined him and Harry, as he heard Draco.

"Crabbe got into my bag to get my notes to copy them, and he found my Rubrics Cube. He can't solve it," Esther replied. "Nor does he know what to do with it."

"He sounds stupid," Ron replied.

"I don't get why Snape hates me so much," Harry said, as they headed to Charms.

"Hmm. He could just be unpleasant. Anyway, I am looking forward to Professor Flitwick's class. Charms seems interesting. I bought two books on it," Esther replied.

Professor Flitwork was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. As he took roll call and reached Harry Potter's name, he gave a excited squeak and toppled out of sight.

* * *

Before dinner, Esther, along with her fellow Slytherins, went to the Common room to have a head start on their homework. Draco borrowed Esther's Rubrics Cube, to see if Crabbe could solve it.

To Draco's amusement, he couldn't.

"You are so dumb, you can't count to twenty," Draco told Crabbe, giving the cube back to Esther.

"Yes I can," Crabbe protested.

"Prove it," Draco said.

"Okay. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13…14….15, what comes after 15?" Crabbe asked after a hard time counting.

"It is sixteen, you troll," Draco told him, before turning back to his homework.

"Have you answered the question to number 5 on page 4 in the packet that Snape gave us, Pansy?" Tracey Davis asked her.

"Yes. It is Wolfbane. Besides, I seen Esther Dursley talk to Neville Longbottom," Pansy told her.

"Oh, he is stupid. If his brains were gold, he'd be poorer then Weasley," Draco replied, laughing.

"That's not nice," Esther told him.

"He is a Gryffindor, besides shouldn't blood traitors be in that house? You are one," Pansy replied, holding out Esther's copy of _A Little Princess_.

"Give that back," Esther said.

"Very interesting book. The pictures aren't moving," Pansy said, flipping through it.

"Give that back or I'll tie your tongue," Esther threatened.

The common room erupted in laughter at the threat. Soon, Pansy, threw the book to Tracey Davis, who tossed it to a female Slytherin third year.

"Give it back," Esther said, trying to chase the book as it was being tossed. After it was tossed back to Pansy, she found a random page and ripped it from the book.

"That book needed improvement anyway," Pansy said, tossing the book aside.

Esther, who started to have tears prick from her eyes, went to where her book was at, and picked it up before picking up the ripped page.

The dinner bell rang and the common room cleared fast, leaving Esther and Draco alone.

"May I help you?" he asked. "I can mend it for you."

Esther didn't listen and walked away, carrying the torn book.

* * *

"Seems I can mend it for you. It doesn't look hard," Gemma said to Esther, examining the book, during dinner.

"Thank you," said Esther.

Gemma put the torn page where it was, and gave the book back to Esther, good as new.

"Did you hear about that break in at Gringotts?" Esther heard Daphne ask Blaise.

"Yeah. Seems like someone is mad for doing so," Blaise replied.

"Who broke into Gringotts?" Esther asked them.

"Read this," Daphne told Esther, giving her a copy of a newspaper called the _Daily Prophet_.

Reading the article, Esther said ", _Believed to be the work of dark witches or wizards unknown, Gringotts goblins acknowledge the breach, but insist nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713, had been in fact earlier emptied that same day_."

"That is odd. That is the vault Harry, Hagrid, and I went to," Esther said after reading.

Draco gave her a confused look.

* * *

**R & R**


	15. First Flying Lessons

**Enjoy!**

* * *

After the incident with the book, Esther had never believed that she would meet a girl she hated more than Bridget, but that was before she met Pansy Parkinson. The fact that she was in the same dorm as Pansy, not to mention, the same Hogwarts house, made the reality of it worse. During free time outside the dormitory, she hung out with Ron and Harry and their fellow Gryffindors. Esther was envious when Ron described the Gryffindor common room. It was bad enough that the Slytherin common room was in the dungeons, yet the only thing she liked about it was its elegance and that the windows looked like you were in a aquarium.

On Tuesday, the second week onto her first year, Esther saw a notice pinned up in the Slytherin common room that made her groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday – And all the first years would be learning together.

"Broomsticks," Esther moaned. She never liked bikes, and she wasn't sure that she would like broomsticks. She was too lady like.

"Come on. It is not that bad," Ron told her, as she, Ron, Harry, and Neville were walking to class one day.

"Yes, but no girl wants to ride astride with a skirt," Esther said.

Draco loved to talk about flying. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that almost seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters ("Yeah, right," Esther would say after he would talk). He wasn't the only one though; Daphne said that she would fly a broomstick in the countryside during leisure. Goyle told a story of how he used his cousin's old broom and ran into the roof of his family's countryside manor.

Off topic from broomsticks, Millicent got in an argument with Esther about _Scrabble_. She thought there wasn't anything exciting about a game where you spell words with small wood tiles with letters on them and that you had to move them manually. Esther had caught her prodding her copy of _Jane Eyre_, trying to make the pictures move.

Neville, from Gryffindor, had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother never let him near one. Privately, like Harry, Esther thought, his grandmother had good reason to, as Neville managed to have an extraordinary amount of accidents on the ground on both feet.

Esther had checked out a book titled _Quidditch Through The Ages_ to get a idea on flying ("What? Are you dumb enough that you can't fly a broomstick?" Tracey Davis asked her). Esther wished, that one of these days, she would tie Tracey and Pansy's tongues.

That Thursday morning, Esther had been reading the book thoroughly, so she wouldn't miss anything. When the mail came, Gertrude bought a package of sweets and goodies from home that Petunia packed for her. Esther noticed that Draco's mum seemed to have the same idea, as Draco gloatfully opened the box of sweets from home.

"What is that?" Daphne asked her, seeing Esther take out a Mars Bar from her box.

"A Mars Bar. It is a candy bar that Muggles eat," Esther replied.

"The ones that look like bars? They don't look interesting," Draco said.

"My brother loves to consume junk food," Esther replied.

"My mother would never let me leave the table until I eat my vegetables," Draco replied, as he took out a Chocolate Frog from his box of sweets. "I see why. I don't want to be fat."

"Dudley hates vegetables. He would never eat the ones on his plate and he overeats on junk food, not to mention he is spoiled. He is like a toddler in the body of a eleven year old," Esther replied.

"How?" Draco asked her.

"Whenever he wants something, he has a temper tantrum. My adopted parents waylay it by giving the things he wants," Esther answered.

Draco looked shocked. He knew he himself was spoiled and begged for the things he wanted, but he would never throw a tantrum.

"An eleven year old having a temper tantrum?" Gemma asked surprised, who was within earshot of the conversation.

"My father would not let me get away with having one. I remembered when I was eight years old, I wanted a racing room. Father said no and I threw a temper tantrum. When we got home, my father ordered me to go outside and grab a switch," Draco replied, shuddering at the memory. "I spent the next hour in my room, lying on my stomach on my bed, rubbing my arse. That was the first and last time I had a temper tantrum."

Even though most of the Slytherins hated Harry Potter, they never dared to say anything about his spoiled cousin, as they knew how embarrassing it might be to have a cousin the same age to have a tantrum like a four year old.

From the Gryffindor table, Esther noticed that Neville got a Remembrall from his grandmother.

"Look. Longbottom got a Remembrall," Draco laughed out of malice.

Sometimes, Esther wished she would just shut Draco up. She knew the problems Harry, Ron, and their friends had with him: Draco would insult and bully them whenever he felt like it. Esther had a different problem with Draco: he was boastful, talkative, arrogant, and liked to impress people with his wealth and his father's influence. She was glad that Harry and Ron weren't in Slytherin house like she was, or they would want a re-sort, which wasn't possible.

* * *

At three thirty in the afternoon, Esther, Daphne, and their fellow Slytherin first years hurried down the front steps into the grounds for their first flying lesson. It was a clear, breezy day.

The Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Hufflepuffs were already there, and so there were forty broomsticks laying neatly in two rows. Esther found a spot next to Harry.

Madame Hooch, who had short gray hair and yellow eyes like a hawk, arrived and greeted the class ", Good afternoon, class."

"Good afternoon, Madame Hooch," Esther and the rest of her first years greeted back.

Facing them, Madame Hooch said ", Welcome to your first flying lesson. What are you waiting for? Everyone stand by their broomstick. Stick out your right hand over the broom and say 'up'."

"UP!" Everyone shouted.

Esther's and Harry's brooms jumped into their hands at once, but those two brooms were one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground and Neville's hadn't moved at all. However, when Ron commanded his broom, it hit his face.

"Shut up, you two," Ron said, seeing Esther and Harry laugh.

"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it," Madame Hooch said, and as they did, she continued ", And grip it tight. You don't wanna be sliding off the end. When I blow my whistle, I want you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle, three, two…"

And after Madame Hooch blew her whistle, Neville Longbottom somehow managed to lift off from the ground.

"Mr. Longbottom. Come back down this instant!" Madame Hooch said. The class watched as Neville was flew across the sky before his robe hung on a statue before he fell on the ground.

Madame Hooch ran to Neville and tried to help him up when she said ", Oh dear, a broken wrist."

"I want all of you to stay on the ground, while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand. Not a single broom in the air or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch," Madame Hooch told them as she left with Neville Longbottom.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Draco burst into laughter.

"Did you see his face, the giant lump?" Draco said.

The other Slytherins (With the exception of Esther) joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" snapped Parvarti Patil, a Gryffindor first year.

"Yeah, shut your mouth, Draco!" Esther snapped, joining in.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom? Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvarti. Then again, Esther loves to hang out with those who are famous and who are crybabies," Pansy said.

Esther scowled at Pansy, trying to think of something to do with her later.

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something from the grass. "It is that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him. If the fat lump were to give this a squeeze, he would remember to fall on his fat arse."

Having enough of it, Harry said ", Give it here, Malfoy."

"No. I think I leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find," Draco replied. He soon got on his broomstick and started to take off.

"How about on the roof?" Draco said, as he circled them before taking off high in the sky. "What's a matter, Potter? Bit beyond your reach?"

After Harry mounted on his broomstick, Hermione told him, "Harry, no way! You heard what Madame Hooch said. Besides, you don't even know how to fly."

Harry ignored her and took off anyway. "What an idiot," Hermione said.

Esther watched as Draco did a flip on his broom before Harry could knock him off his broomstick, and she saw Harry chase the Remembrall after Draco threw it.

A minute later, Harry came back on the ground, holding the Remembrall. Most of the first years ran to him, cheering.

"Nice going, Harry!"

"That was wicked, Harry!" Esther said.

"Harry Potter!" they heard Professor McGonagall say to him.

They turned to see a serious look on her face.

"Follow me," she said.

Wondering what punishment awaited him, Harry followed.

Seeing Draco's smirk, Esther wondered how she was going to wipe it off.

* * *

"Maybe he got expelled," Draco said joyfully while in the common room.

"He could just get detention for the rest of the year. He never listened to what Madame Hooch said," Millicent told him.

"You never listened to her either, Draco," Esther told him.

Draco was about to protest when Miles Bletchley, a Slytherin third year, and his twin sister, Abigail, ran in the common room, out of breath.

"What happened, Miles?" Esther heard a sixth year, named Marcus Flint, ask him.

"Harry Potter was made the new Gryffindor seeker," Miles replied, still out of breath.

Draco looked furious, and Esther saw a look of jealously on his face.

"Impossible!" said a Slytherin third year, known as Adrian Pucey.

"Preposterous!" Marcus Flint said.

"A first year as seeker?" said a fifth year girl who Esther didn't know.

"They tell them not to bring broomsticks, but they give a first year a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch team after he disobeyed a order from a teacher? He should have been expelled," said Gemma Farely. "He could get hurt."

"So, you are more worried about Potter's safety, Farely?" Draco asked her.

"Malfoy, that is ten points from Slytherin for patronizing me. No one patronizes a prefect," Gemma told him.

* * *

"So Slytherin and Gryffindor face off in the first match?" Esther asked during dinner in the great hall.

"Yes, though I think, it should be different, as Slytherin and Gryffindor hate each other," Daphne replied, drinking her pumpkin juice.

"But it's competition, Daphne. It is supposed to be like that," said a Slytherin girl in the second year.

Esther saw that Draco and his lackeys were talking to Harry Potter at the Gryffindor table. A minute later, Draco and his lackeys came back to the Slytherin table, smirking about something.

"Hi, Draco. Found a way to get my cousin expelled?" Esther asked snidely.

Draco's smirk changed into a solemn expression, like he knew she found out.

"He should have. He didn't listen to Madame Hooch," Draco replied.

"Neither did you, as you flew with that Remembrall in your hand," Esther replied.

Draco just looked at her, surprised that she knows a lot of things.

* * *

**R & R**


	16. Halloween

**Thanks for the reviews**

* * *

The next morning, Esther was amused to see Draco shocked over Harry and Ron still being in Hogwarts. She was glad that they did not get expelled, yet she knew that they were tired and talked about a three headed dog. When she asked about what happened, they told her how they were set up by Draco, who told Harry that he was going to have a Wizards Duel with him and how they, along with Neville and Hermione, encountered a three headed dog.

"That must be terrifying," Esther said.

"I think it spooked Neville out," Ron said, seeing Neville's face go pale at the mention of the three headed dog.

"Could the dog be protecting something that Hagrid took out of the vault?" Esther asked.

"Maybe. Whatever that dog is protecting is either valuable or dangerous," Harry said.

"Or both," Ron replied.

Esther decided to keep this a secret from Draco, because she knew that he might be too curious. She knew, hearing from Ron and Harry, that neither Hermione nor Neville showed the slightest interest what lay beneath the dog and (According to Harry and Ron) the trapdoor.

Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry, Ron, and Esther (although Esther was not there when it happened. Esther was in the Slytherin girls' first year dormitory at the time; Hermione thought that Esther was condoning it, which was why she also refused to speak to Esther), but she was such a bossy- know- it- all that they (Especially Harry and Ron, who were in Gryffindor along with Hermione) saw it as a added bonus. All they really wanted now was a way to get back at Draco Malfoy, and to Hermione's disapproval, Esther gave some options, which were Slytherin- worthy. To their delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.

Draco was opening a letter from home and was groaning ", Why does father expect too much? Besides, he doesn't understand…"

"Malfoy, look," Crabbe told him, pointing to a long package that Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig, was carrying. Draco's eyes widened seeing the package.

"It can't be a racing broom?" Draco asked.

"Looks like it," Esther replied smirking.

Esther was pleased to see it drop in front of Harry. Draco was bound to have a reaction.

"Come on, Crabbe and Goyle," Draco told his friends, and they left the Great Hall before Ron and Harry could.

"Why does Malfoy look upset?" Blaise asked.

Marcus Flint, who was spying on the Gryffindors by sitting at the Slytherin table, said rather snidely ", Harry Potter's got a racing broom."

The members of the Slytherin Quidditch team either spat out their pumpkin juices or dropped a piece of bacon out of shock.

Esther failed to suppress a snigger.

"What is so funny, Dursley?" Miles Bletchley asked her, surprised.

"Nothing," she lied, seeing Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle coming back to the Great Hall, looking confused and angry.

"That Potter, he's got a Nimbus Two Thousand broomstick," Draco muttered, brooding.

"What do you have at home?" Esther asked him.

"A Comet Two Sixty. It is still in my broom cupboard at home. Father had it locked up on the night before I went to Hogwarts so I wouldn't sneak it in," Draco replied wistfully.

* * *

"Quiet. I'm sure you all studied for this quiz on the things we covered in the past few weeks. No talking or cheating. If I catch someone cheating or talking, I will take the quiz away and you'll lose fifty points from your house," Snape said, as he passed around a two page parchment packet, with a flick of his wand. "When you are done, either read a book or do homework from another class. If not, I'll give you something to do. You may get started."

Esther started doing her quiz as it was handed to her. She checked both pages to get a idea of how hard it might be. She studied and took notes, so to her, it looked easy enough. It took her twenty minutes to do her quiz before handing it in.

As she took out her Charms homework, she heard Draco complain to Snape.

"Professor Snape, do you know that Potter has received a broomstick?" Draco asked him after he handed in his quiz.

"Yes, as it was mentioned to me by the headmaster and Professor McGonagall. I am surprised and upset about it, as you are, Mr. Malfoy, but I have no control over the situation," Snape replied.

Draco looked disappointed, like he hoped something would happen.

That alone, satisfied Esther.

* * *

On Halloween morning, the student body woke up to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought that they were ready to start making objects fly, something they have been all dying to try since they seen him make Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick each gave them a feather to practice with.

"Now don't forget the nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" Squeaked Professor Flitwick, standing on his pile of books as usual. "Swish and flick. Now enunciate _Wingardium Leviosa._ Off you go then."

Esther picked up her wand and did the movement as instructed while saying _Wingardium Leviosa_. She tried it a few times, never succeeding to have her feather float in the air.

She was soon interrupted, overhearing Hermione berating Ron on how to properly say the spell.

"You do it then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled at Hermione.

Hermione rolled up her sleeve, and flicked her wand by saying, "_Wingardium Leviosa_". The feather rose from her desk, causing the other first years to stop and stare.

"Well done! Ms. Granger's done it!" Professor Flitwick said. Esther could see Draco brooding, as well as Ron, who buried his chin on his elbows.

Professor Flitwick was still congratulating Hermione when he was interrupted by an explosion. Esther noticed that Seamus Finnegan, who was sitting next to Harry, managed to have his feather explode and his face was covered in soot.

"I think we are going to need another feather, professor," Harry said.

Ron was in a bad mood after class.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry and Esther and they walked the school grounds with Dean, Neville, and a still soot-faced Seamus. "She's a nightmare, honestly. It's no wonder she's got no friends."

Esther saw Hermione knock into Harry and ran past him. Getting a glimpse of Hermione's face, Esther could see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you," Harry told Ron.

* * *

Lighting flashed on the enchanted ceiling, as the jack-o-lanterns floated in the air during the Halloween feast. Esther ate her piece of carrot cake, though she thought it was impossible due to the sight of Crabbe and Goyle pigging out on apple pie.

"Will you stop eating?" Esther asked them irately.

"We're hungry," Goyle replied.

"No one gets too hungry for sweets, Goyle. Spare yourself the stomach ache," Draco told him, looking nauseated at the sight of his lackeys pigging out.

Esther was about to resume eating her carrot cake when the doors to the Great Hall burst open.

"Troll in the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!" shouted Professor Quirrell as he desperately ran to the High Table.

Dumbledore stood up while everyone stared at Professor Quirrel in silence, shock on their faces.

"Thought you ought to know," Professor Quirrell said before passing out and falling on his face.

There was soon a mass of panic. Esther screamed, dropping her fork. Draco did the same. Everyone was about to run when Dumbledore yelled, "Silence!"

Everyone stopped running and screaming.

"Everybody, please do not panic! Prefects, will lead their houses back to your dormitories. Teachers, will follow me to the dungeons," Dumbledore said. "For those in Slytherin, you will be in the library until further instruction."

"Come on, Slytherin," Gemma told the students, before leading them out of the Great Hall.

* * *

"Slytherins, stay alert and keep up with me," Gemma told them as she led them to the library.

"How did that troll get in?" Crabbe asked, fear in his voice.

"They can't do it on their own. Maybe a joke by Peeves," Draco replied, as they all filed after Gemma as she led them to the library.

"You know that Professor Quirrell was the only one that saw the troll get in," Esther pointed out.

"Are you saying that he might be responsible?" Goyle asked her, scared.

"I don't know, but it could be a prank by Peeves," Esther replied.

Once everyone in Slytherin entered the library, they were instructed to sit down and be quiet and to wait until either a teacher or their house ghost to give them instructions.

Esther sat quietly next to Millicent and Daphne, as she stared at the grandfather clock in the library.

It was obvious that the other Slytherins were not taking it well. Crabbe was pacing frantically, Goyle jumped at every creak and thump he heard. Draco was trying to keep his cool but he obviously looked shaken and had asked Gemma when they'll go back to their dormitories.

"Until they take care of the troll," said Gemma impatiently. "Now, hush up or I'll take five points from Slytherin."

After ten minutes (what seemed like forever to Esther), Snape entered the library. Everyone sat still and hushed up when he arrived. Esther saw that one of Snape's legs was bloodied, before he covered it up so nobody would know.

"I am pleased to tell you that the troll has been dealt with," drawled Snape.

"Can you tell us how the troll was dealt with?" asked a Slytherin seventh year.

Snape grimaced.

"I'm sure you'll find out from the Gryffindors tomorrow," drawled Snape. "Dumbledore has allowed you to head back to the Great Hall to finish dessert."

The Slytherins in the library slowly filed out of the library ("I might have to ask Dursley if her cousin was the one that took the troll down," Draco was heard saying among the chatter. "If he was, I am disappointed that the troll didn't land him in the hospital wing), Esther the last in line.

When it was just her and Snape, Esther took her chance.

"Professor Snape? May you tell me who took care of the troll?" asked Esther.

"I knew you'd ask. I'm sure you'll be seeing Potter's smirk when you see him," drawled Snape.

Esther soon caught up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who told her their story of how they took down a troll.

It was after Harry, Ron, and Hermione's encounter with the troll that Hermione became their best friend.

* * *

**More soon!**


	17. Quidditch

**I might be slow on updates, as I have other stories to write as well.**

* * *

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaverskin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. Esther could feel the excitement in the Slytherin common room. The Slytherin Quidditch team would sit on the wrap around couches, discussing their game plan, and Esther could tell that they were cheaters. Harry seemed excited about playing for Gryffindor. The first match was Slytherin versus Gryffindor, and if Gryffindor won, they would move up second place in the house championship.

Esther wanted to see her cousin practice for Quidditch, but a worried Oliver Wood would deny her access, due to the fact that she might be a spy for the Slytherin Quidditch team. Fred and George Weasley, who were beaters from the Gryffindor team, told her that Oliver Wood would never let anyone see Harry play, as he planned for Harry to the Gryffindor Quidditch team's secret weapon ("How can it be secret when the school body knows?" Esther told George, who nodded in agreement).

Draco was brooding lately, and Esther, to distract him from picking on her cousin about it, cheered him up by saying he might be seeker for Slytherin next year (Though she secretly hoped that he wouldn't be, as Harry would be a distraction).

The day before the first game of the season, the atmosphere in the Slytherin Common room was restless and in Esther's mind, reeked with the cockiness of the Slytherin Quidditch players. The wrap around couches in the Slytherin common room that Esther would sit on during free time was designated for the Quidditch players and anyone not in the Slytherin Quidditch team were rudely and verbally kicked- off. Draco was once reading _The Tales of Beedle The Bard _when Marcus Flint rudely told him to get off the couch. Draco reacted by threatening to "tell his father about it" and Adrian Pucey had to advise Flint to take the threat seriously. Gemma Farely wasn't happy about the attitude that the Slytherin Quidditch players treated the younger ones and the ones who weren't on their team. "The Gryffindor Quidditch team never displays that attitude on first years and non- Quidditch players," Gemma told Marcus Flint. When he snidely told her that she would rather be a Gryffindor then a Slytherin, she threatened to dock one hundred points from Slytherin and he shut his mouth after that.

To get away from the hectic atmosphere in the Slytherin common room, Esther decided to look for Ron, Harry, and Hermione. She found them in the courtyard, reading a book when Snape interrupted them.

"That is five points from Gryffindor," Snape told them, holding a book titled _Quidditch Through The Ages_ and limping away.

"He's just made that rule up," Esther heard Harry mutter as she came towards them.

"What happened?" Esther asked them.

"We were reading to help boost Harry's confidence up for the game tomorrow when Snape came and accused us of breaking the rules," Hermione replied.

"I wonder what is wrong with Snape's leg," Harry said.

"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," Ron said bitterly, and realized it was too late when Esther gave him a dark scowl for the remark.

"Never insult the head of Slytherin house in front of a Slytherin, even if it is Esther," Hermione told him.

"I know, you can ask Snape to get that book back," Ron told Esther, when the thought came to his head.

"Me?" Esther asked.

"Yeah. You're from Slytherin house and Snape is bound to listen to you," Ron replied.

"Ron, I don't think it is…" Harry started to say until Hermione chipped in.

"Do you want to risk a detention from Snape if you did so yourself?" Hermione asked him.

It was then decided that Esther would go to the staff room to fetch the book, but Harry went along too, just to see if it would go well.

* * *

Esther and Harry went down to the staff room and Esther knocked. There was no answer. She knocked again. Nothing.

Esther pushed the door ajar and Harry thought that he saw her flinch.

Snape and Filch were inside the staff room, alone. Snape was holding his robes above his knees as Filch handed him bandages, as one of Snape's legs was bloodied and mangled.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Esther removed her eyes from the room and turned to Harry.

"Filch is giving him bandages," Esther whispered to Harry.

"Let's go," Harry told her.

"Ms. Dursley," they heard Snape say.

Harry hid by the door as Snape came to Esther.

"Is there anything you need?" he asked her.

"I want to borrow the book, _Quidditch Through The Ages_," Esther replied.

Snape looked suspicious and asked ", Why? Is it to help Potter boost his ego?"

Coming up with a elaborate lie, Esther replied ", No, Professor Snape. Draco knew that Harry checked out _Quidditch Through The Ages _at the library and he asked me if I can retrieve it from him. I was going to the courtyard when I saw you take the book from Harry. I just want to give the book to Draco, in case he plays Quidditch for Slytherin next year."

Harry looked surprised. Would Esther really lie to retrieve the book from Snape?

"Very well, Ms. Dursley," Snape told her as he handed the book to her.

"Thank you, Professor," Esther told him.

As she and Harry left the corridor, Harry asked her ", What was happening in there?"

"Snape's leg was bloodied, Filch was with him giving him bandages and Snape was going on about how someone was supposed to keep their eyes on all three heads at once," Esther replied, handing him the book.

Harry grew silent at this information.

"Harry?" Esther asked.

"Let's go," he said. He ran and Esther followed him to where Ron and Hermione were at, the courtyard.

"Harry, you got the book back," Hermione said.

Seeing Harry's face, Ron asked ", What's the matter?"

In a whisper, Harry told them what Esther has seen and told him.

"You know what this means?" Harry finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick _he _let the troll in, to make a diversion!"

Hermione's eyes grew wide and Esther grimaced.

"Harry, why would Professor Snape let the troll in? He was there when Professor Quirrell ran in saying that the troll got in and Professor Quirrell was the only one that saw the troll get in," Esther pointed out.

"Snape wouldn't do such a thing," Hermione replied. "I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."

"Honestly, Hermione, Esther, you think all the teachers are saints or something," snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"

Esther knew that Snape liked to berate Harry mercilessly in class and hated him, but she knew Snape was not bad enough to do something that would damage his career. She heard of other teachers who hated certain students because the teacher hated said student's parents, so Snape was not the only one. In fact, Esther began to feel that there was something odd about Professor Quirrell. He gave her points for small things and talked to her after class. One time, she saw a classmate touch his turban by accident and he screamed like he was dying from a slow, agonizing death. In the case of the troll getting in, Esther had a sick feeling that Professor Quirrell was the one responsible for letting the troll in, as he was the only one who saw it enter. The day after Halloween, Esther had asked the ghosts and even Peeves if they saw the troll enter the dungeons; they haven't. But if Snape got injured while trying to get past the three headed dog, why did he? The whole thing didn't make sense to Esther.

* * *

The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"I bet 50 Galleons that Gryffindor loses," Draco told Esther during breakfast.

"And I bet 60 Galleons if Slytherin loses," Esther told him.

Esther knew that there was a betting pool in Slytherin house on who would lose or win the Quidditch match. Esther knew that if Draco lost the bet, he would owe her 50 Galleons.

Miles Bletchley, was rumored to came down with a cold, so his sister, Abigail was to take his place in the match.

* * *

After breakfast, the students were told to go to their common rooms to get ready for the Quidditch match. Esther decided to wear one of her dresses, which was light yellow with a tiered skirt, along with her dark red overcoat and her matching beret, which she wore with her school cloak, her Slytherin scarf and school mittens. Gemma and her fellow prefect, Edmond Parkinson (Pansy's older brother) passed out flags with the Slytherin colors on them and practiced the Slytherin pride cheer.

Despite wearing her house crest and wearing a scarf with Slytherin's house colors, she planned on rooting for Gryffindor.

* * *

It was eleven o' clock when the students were led to the Quidditch viewing stands. To Esther's disappointment, the students were separated by house and Argus Filch, the school caretaker, was supervising the Slytherin viewing stands. Esther wished she was with the Gryffindors, as she was rooting for their team.

"If you lose this bet, you also owe me your Chocolate Frogs," Esther whispered to Draco.

Draco gave her a surprised look but didn't say anything.

Soon, the Quidditch players flew into the field, with the cheering crowds getting louder.

"Hello and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season. Today's game, Slytherin versus Gryffindor!" announced Lee Jordan, a third year Gryffindor who commentated on the game.

"Go, Slytherin!" Esther heard Draco and others around her cheer.

"Go, Harry!" Esther shouted, causing Draco to stare at her.

"He's my cousin, so I have every right to cheer him on," Esther told him.

After the Quidditch players were done zooming around, they took their positions. "The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps onto the field, to begin the game."

Esther saw Madame Hooch say something to the Quidditch players before she opened a trunk and two balls erupted. "The Bludgers are up, followed by the Golden Snitch. Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the snitch, ends the game," Lee Jordan announced before a ball was released into the sky. "The quaffle is released, and the game begins!"

At first Gryffindor seemed to be in the lead until Marcus Flint cheated by knocking Oliver Wood off his broomstick with a bludger, that he whacked with a Slytherin beaters bat.

"You owe me 60 Galleons after this," Draco whispered to her.

"We'll see about that," Esther replied.

Slytherin cheered after another cheat (which Esther considered).

She then saw her cousin chasing something and after being cut off by Marcus Flint, Esther saw that Harry's broomstick was acting crazy.

"Something is wrong with Harry's broomstick," Esther said. She turned to Blaise, who was holding binoculars and said ", Blaise, give me those."

Blaise gave her his binoculars and she looked through them, wandering her view to the teachers stand. She saw Snape saying something, his lips moving fast, like he had no time to waste but she didn't know what he was saying, but she saw Quirrell, his hands clasped and looking at Harry's direction in great concentration. His expression was one hundred and eighty degrees opposite of the frantic looking expressions of the other teachers: he looked…cold.

She gave the binoculars back to Blaise and said ", Professor Quirrell is sure acting suspicious."

Two minutes later, she sighed in relief as Harry got back on his broomstick. After chasing the snitch, he fell off his broomstick and landed on his back. He got up, but began gagging until the Golden Snitch fell into his hands from his mouth.

"Harry Potter receives 150 points for catching the Golden Snitch," Lee Jordan commentated in excitement.

Everyone (with the exception of Esther) in the Slytherin stands booed. Draco told Esther, sounding defeated, "Fine, I'll give you 50 Galleons and the rest of my Chocolate Frogs."

* * *

"Why did you have to win the bet?" Draco asked her as he gave her the 50 Galleons and the rest of his supply of Chocolate Frogs.

"Luck tends to follow me," she said, taking them and going into the dormitory to carefully hide the money and candy. She was planning to meet with Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the library.

After stashing her bet winnings away in her trunk, she left the girls' dormitory to head to the library outside the common room.

* * *

"We need to find things on Nicholas Flamel," Esther heard Harry say in the library as she entered.

"Who is Nicholas Flamel?" Esther asked.

"We want to know too. Hagrid said something about him but changed the subject when we asked," Ron said.

"Look who is here," Esther heard a familiar voice say and she saw Draco in the library, flanked by his lackeys.

"Stalking me, Draco?" Esther asked rather snidely.

"Shut up, Dursley. I'm not here for you," Draco told her before telling Harry, "Your cousin here and I had a bet on who would win. I bet 50 Galleons that Gryffindor would lose, which was half of the allowance that father gave me. Since Gryffindor won, I had to give her 50 Galleons, and the rest of my Chocolate Frogs."

"Good thing she won then," Harry said.

"You two might as well leave or Madame Pince might kick us out," Esther told them.

"Crabbe, Goyle, lets go," Draco said to his lackeys and they left the library.

"Why did you bet with Malfoy?" Hermione asked her.

"I wanted to show him that things cannot go his way," Esther replied.

"Okay. We need to find things on Nicholas Flamel," Harry replied.

* * *

After Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther couldn't find anything on Nicolas Flamel, the four of them retreated to the courtyard before dinner started.

"You scared me, Harry. I thought Snape was trying to kill you," said Hermione.

"Snape killing Harry? First he's stealing something that that dog is guarding, now he's trying to kill Harry?" asked Esther confused.

"Probably because Snape knows I suspect him," said Harry.

"You saw it happen," Hermione said to Esther.

"I was wondering why Harry's broomstick was acting crazy, so I borrowed Blaise's binoculars. I noticed that Snape's mouth was moving fast," said Esther.

"He was probably trying to make a quick kill," said Ron.

"I don't think it was that. He acted like there was no time to waste and Quirrell was acting…rather odd," replied Esther.

Harry and his friends looked at each other, confused. In their minds, what was Snape up to?

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews.**


	18. A Hogwarts Christmas

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts awoke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid, and as a result, Snape (Like he did every year), put a charm on the Slytherin common room windows so they wouldn't break from the ice, and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

No one could wait for the holidays to start. While the Slytherin common room and the Great Hall had roaring fires, the drafty corridors had become icy and bitter wind rattled the windows in the classrooms. Worst of all were Professor Snape's classes down in the dungeons, where their breath rose in a mist before them and they kept close as possible to their hot cauldrons.

"I do feel sorry," said Draco Malfoy, one Potions class, "For all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home."

He was looking over at Harry as he spoke. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Esther, who heard it, scowled at Draco and his lackeys. Esther knew that he was angry that the Slytherins lost and he had gone from mocking Harry about his bucking broomstick to taunting Harry about not having a proper family.

It was true that Harry wasn't going back to Privet Drive for Christmas. Neither was Esther. The week before, Professor McGonagall made a list of students who would be staying for the holidays, and like Harry, Esther signed up at once. She knew that her adopted mummy and daddy would miss her, but her primary reason for staying was because Harry was going to stay also. Draco, and his lackeys were going home for the holidays, as well as Millicent Bulstrode, Theodore Nott, Pansy Parkingson, and Tracey Davis. She would rather spend the Christmas holidays at Hogwarts with Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabani, and a select group of older Slytherins who were also staying at Hogwarts for the holidays then with Draco, his lackeys, and most of who will leave for the Christmas holidays. Besides, Ron and his brothers from Gryffindor house would also be staying at Hogwarts for Christmas, as their parents were visiting their older brother Charlie in Romania, which made the option more attractive.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks, Ron," Hagrid replied.

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Draco's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose – that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

Ron dived at Draco just as Snape came up the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go the front of Draco's robes.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking out his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily, "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I will make him pay, Ron. Do not worry, I'll make them pay," Esther said to Ron, scowling at Draco's back.

Ron nodded before saying, grinding his teeth at Draco's back ", I'll get him. One of these days, I'll get him…"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

Esther and Hagrid told him to cheer up, saying that it was Christmas.

"Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat," Hagrid told him.

The four of them followed Hagrid and his tree off to the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were busy with the Christmas decorations.

"Ah, Hagrid, the last tree – put it in the far corner, will you?"

The hall looked spectacular. Festoons of holly and mistletoe hung all around the walls, and no less than twelve towering Christmas trees stood around the room, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles.

Esther left the trio and Hagrid to go to the Slytherin table to read.

Afterwards, she followed Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

"Now we need to find books about Nicholas Flamel," Harry said, as they went to the library.

Esther knew that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been searching for books on Nicholas Flamel, since, according to them, Hagrid had let it slip. Lately, they haven't found any information. Esther knew that they suspected Snape of trying to steal something, but she helped them find information regarding Nicholas Flamel, despite her disapproval of the accusation. She knew that while Ron, Hermione, and Harry were pointing the finger at Snape and giving him looks like they were suspicious of him, she had been focusing her attention on Professor Quirrell. She knew that he had become more nervous and scared by the minute and she thought, by the sound of it, that he was arguing or talking with someone invisible.

As Ron took out books from the library by random, Esther noticed that Harry wander over to the Restricted Section, which was roped off. Esther knew that the books there contained dangerous Dark Arts never taught at Hogwarts, and besides needing a permission slip, the books were only read by the older students who took Advanced Defense Against The Dark Arts.

Esther soon saw Madame Pince, the librarian shoo Harry away.

Esther and Harry left the library to wait outside in the corridor.

Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione shook their heads and they left to go to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Can't wait for Christmas. My family is having a Christmas party at the manor we live in. People that father knows are going to be there," Draco said, gloating as he ate his roast beef.

* * *

Once the holidays have started, Esther was having too much of a goodtime to think about Flamel. She and Daphne had the dormitory to themselves and the Slytherin common room was far emptier than usual, and she and other Slytherins were able to get the couches by the fire. Blaise passed around a antique from where his mother was born in. He didn't want to show the valuable box when Crabbe and Goyle were around, as he deemed them untrustworthy of expensive and breakable objects.

In the Great Hall, Esther watched Ron and Harry play Wizards' Chess. She knew it was a lot like Muggle chess, except that the pieces were alive. She played Wizards' Chess with Daphne Greengrass, who bought a set to Hogwarts with her. Esther, the fast learner she is, learned how to correctly play Wizards' Chess.

On Christmas Eve, Esther went to bed looking forward to the next day, knowing that there will be good food and fun. When she woke early in the morning, however, the first thing she saw was a big pile of presents at the foot of her bed.

"Happy Christmas," said Daphne sleepily as Esther scrambled out of her bed and pulled on her bathrobe.

"You, too," Esther said. "Shall we see what we got?"

"Yes. It is not coal," said Daphne turning to her own pile, just as big as Esther's.

Esther picked up the top parcel. It was wrapped in the shiny paper that you see in muggle stores and written on the tag was To Estie, from Mummy. Inside was a pair of white ice skates, something that Petunia promised to get her for Christmas.

A second, large present contained a note.

_We just want wish our daughter a good Christmas and a very satisfying term. We have enclosed your present as well as your allowance. Love from mummy and daddy._ Esther opened the envelope to see that she received forty pounds and thirty pence.

"That's useful," Esther muttered, knowing that she was going to keep the money hidden from Pansy and Tracey once they get back from Christmas holiday.

"Is that muggle money?" Daphne asked, somewhat curious.

"Yes. It comes in pounds. A pound is different then a Galleon," Esther explained as she opened her parcel. Inside was a Oxford Dictionary, which costed a lot of pounds.

"I have a dictionary back home. Oh, well. I can add another one to my collection," Esther said to herself.

Esther set aside her dictionary, and picked up a lumpy parcel. Scrawled on the paper was to Esther, from Mrs. Weasley. Curious, Esther torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in Emerald green with the big letter _E_ and a box of homemade fudge.

_I wonder if Mrs. Weasley sent her sons and Harry the same thing_, Esther thought to herself as she turned to her other presents. She received a Christmas sweater from Aunt Marge, a set of encyclopedias from Petunia and Vernon, three new pairs of socks from her mummy, some books and painting utensils. Esther made a mental note to buy some magic paint so her paintings could move.

Esther took care of her mess before putting on her wool skirt and the emerald green sweater (She didn't want to be caught dead in her sweater from Aunt Marge, as she considered it hideous, a thought Daphne shared, as she said "why do muggles come up with the strangest things").

* * *

Esther met up with Harry and Ron at breakfast, and she noticed that they were wearing the exact same sweater that she received.

"Oh, you got one too," Ron told her, looking embarrassed.

"You look good in Maroon. Did your mum make these?" Esther asked, looking down at hers.

"Yes, and she makes them every year," Ron replied, sounding embarrassed. "Mine's always maroon."

"I wouldn't mind," Esther replied. "I rather wear this then the hideous reindeer sweater that Aunt Marge gave me."

Esther spent the rest of the day with Harry and Ron, and when Christmas dinner came, Esther could sense that Harry was speechless. From being with the Dursley's for two years, Esther knew that Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner.

Esther pulled a wizard cracker with Daphne before dessert rolled around. Esther tried hard not to laugh when she saw that at the Gryffindor's table, Percy almost broke his teeth on a silver sickle embedded in his slice of pudding.

When Esther left the table, she was laden down with a stack of things from the crackers, including her own new wizard chess set, a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, and something she wanted: A box of magic paint. Now the question was how to use them properly.

That afternoon, Esther joined Harry and the Weasleys and engaged in a furious snow ball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, Esther left Harry, Ron, Fred, and George (who were heading for the Gryffindor common room), and she returned to the fire in the Slytherin common room.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone felt too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Edward Avery (A Slytherin six year) chase two Slytherin fourth years all over the Slytherin dungeon because they'd stolen his wand.

Too full and sleepy, Esther didn't do her usual ritual of reading before bed and fell asleep as soon as she snuggled under the covers.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	19. Nicolas Flamel

**I hope I am making Esther's experience different from Harry's. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

After Christmas, Esther noticed that something bothered Harry. The day after, she saw Harry sitting on one of the tables as he stared at the fire, having a look a wistful longing in his eyes. She saw that Ron came and talked to him. Esther even asked him what was gnawing at him.

"Nothing. I guess I have the after Christmas blues," said Harry after she asked him what was bothering him.

Despite her dissatisfaction of the answer he gave her, she didn't ask anymore.

The day before term started, everyone returned from the Christmas holiday and Esther mentally groaned at the thought of spending the next few months with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Tracey Davis, and Pansy Parkingson. Draco spent the whole day before the start of term by bragging about his Christmas and how much presents he received, as well as how he tormented the family house elf, Dobby.

"The parties back home are grand," said Draco, as he turned to Esther and continued, "you should come over some day during the summer. You'll like it. Just don't lose your way."

_Sure. Like I want to be in a house with pureblood supremacists_, Esther thought irately.

Esther never even asked Harry, Ron, and Hermione about their progress to find something on Flamel. Once term started, Esther was back to studying her textbooks for ten minutes during her breaks. For Harry, Quidditch practice had started again while Esther consumed her time studying.

One day, Esther was waiting for Harry in the library so they could study after his Quidditch practice. Noticing that Harry was a few minutes late, Esther decided to kill her time by looking through her Chocolate Frog cards when she heard some dialogue exchanged between Draco and Neville, and she looked to see Draco entering the library, smirking and he looked like he was trying not to laugh.

Esther approached him and asked ", what is funny?"

"I was bored and I decided to practice the leg locker curse on someone," said Draco, non-chalantly.

Esther looked as if she swallowed a lemon.

"You locked Neville's legs together?" Esther irately asked him.

Draco shrugged and said ", I wanted to practice that jinx on someone, so Longbottom was a good candidate."

Esther stared after Draco as he walked away. She left the library to see that Neville was hopping his way to Gryffindor tower.

"Neville. Do you need any help?" Esther asked him.

"No thank you, Esther. I can go to the Gryffindor common room myself," Neville replied as continued to hop his way.

Esther, wanting to get back at Draco, gave up waiting for Harry and left the library so she could look up what curse she could inflict on Malfoy.

She knew that Harry would be tired after Quidditch practice and was probably resting in the Gryffindor common room.

* * *

When the dinner bell rang, everyone looked surprised as they saw Draco frantically running, with soap coming from his mouth. In a crowd of Slytherin girls, Esther smirked as she saw Draco run, trying to keep the soap from escaping his mouth.

Esther spent the entire afternoon trying to find the perfect jinx to inflict on Draco as a payment for the leg-locker jinx he inflicted on Neville and Esther thought that the soap in the mouth jinx was perfect.

Seeing Draco as a victim of a jinx surprised most of the student body, as Draco had a reputation of being a bully.

"I hope Draco gets over that jinx," Pansy told Tracey as they walked to the Great Hall for dinner.

Esther mentally snorted at that. She hoped that it would last through the night. It would teach him a lesson.

As Esther arrived at the doors to the Great Hall, she was greeted by a severe looking Professor McGonagall, with a jinx-cured Draco at her side.

"Ms. Dursley, I would like to speak with you at my office," Professor McGonagall told her.

"What about dinner?" Esther asked.

"That can wait. Come," McGonagall replied.

Esther knew that Draco must have let the cat out of the bag.

* * *

"It is against school policy for students to cast jinxes on each other. Though it is common for Slytherins to jinx other students without receiving punishment," Professor McGonagall told Esther, as she looked at Professor Snape, who was standing in her office, at the beginning of her second sentence before turning back to Esther and she continued, "it shocked me that you would commit such a thing, Ms. Dursley. You've had a perfect record of not breaking rules. Explain yourself."

Before Esther could speak, Snape spoke up.

"It is common for the students in Slytherin house to jinx each other during a petty argument or disagreement. These two could have been arguing over something simple as a chair," Snape silkily stated, trying to find a way to get the students from his house out of trouble.

McGonagall told him ", I see, Severus, though I have to know why Ms. Dursley inflicted the soap-in-the-mouth jinx on Mr. Malfoy."

Esther composed herself, smiled sweetly, and said ", Well, I was in the library waiting for Harry when I saw Draco full of himself. I asked him why he was so happy and he told me that he was bored and practiced the leg-locker curse on Neville Longbottom."

Professor McGonagall's eyes grew wide at Esther's allegation.

"Why didn't you report this to me, Ms. Dursley?" Professor McGonagall asked her. "I would have kept your report anonymous and taken care of it."

"I thought a jinx would be more effective than an issued detention and a loss of house points," Esther answered, pouting innocently.

McGonagall turned to Draco and asked, "Did you cast the leg-locker curse on Mr. Longbottom?"

Trying to get out of trouble, Draco lied ", I had to defend myself. He was giving me a hard time outside the library."

Not buying it, Professor McGonagall said, "I find that hard to believe, Mr. Malfoy. Lying your way out of this will not help any. There are other things to fill your time than cursing a classmate for the fun of it. And you, Ms. Dursley, know better than jinxing a fellow classmate as well – fifty points from Slytherin."

"_Fifty_?" Draco gasped, horror struck. That much lost and his father would send him a howler in the mail for losing that much points.

"Each?" Esther asked.

"Fifty points _each_. For inflicting jinxes," McGonagall replied. "I do not doubt that your intentions were admirable, Ms. Dursley, but you should have reported this to me instead of taking it in your own hands. Both of you will also receive detention and I will write to your parents as well."

Draco looked at Snape and said ", Professor, you can't…"

"I may be the head of Slytherin house, Mr. Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall is also the Deputy Head of Hogwarts, not just head of Gryffindor," said Snape. "So I have no say in the matter."

One hundred points lost. That put Slytherin in second place for the house cup championships, not that Esther cared. Esther knew that somehow that the Slytherin hour class will no doubt fill up with points after that.

Esther and Draco had their dinner at Professor McGonagall's office and afterwards, they travelled back to the Slytherin common room.

Trying to break the silence, Draco told her ", Cheer up. It's not like we got expelled."

"I know, but it could have been avoided if you kept your wand to yourself," Esther replied.

"Professor Snape should have stopped Professor McGonagall from giving us detentions. I might write to my father about it. He's one of the school governors," Draco replied.

_I'll doubt it will help any_, Esther thought. A reaction from Draco's father would be the last thing she would want.

While Draco was trying hard not to cry into his pillow at the first year's boys' dormitory, Esther slept good and hard for the duration of the night.

* * *

To Esther's luck, everybody in Slytherin house didn't seem to notice who was responsible for the loss of a hundred points. The next morning, she saw some of the older Slytherins look at the Slytherin hourglass and they just shrugged.

"One hundred points less. Oh well, we got time before the end of term," she heard Adrian Pucey say to himself.

Before Defense Against the Dark Arts class started, she was met by a beaming Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"What happened?" Esther asked.

"We found out who Nicolas Flamel is," Harry told her.

"Nicolas Flamel? What did you find out?" Esther asked them.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione told Esther on what they found out about Flamel as well as the Philosopher's Stone ("Oh. Interesting stuff I wager," Esther told them in reply). Esther told them in a whisper how she Scorgified Draco for doing the leg-locker curse on Neville and how she lost fifty points as well as a getting a detention (Draco as well).

"Well, I'm glad that Malfoy got cursed as well," said Ron. "Serves him right for what he did to Neville."

That morning at Defense Against the Dark Arts, Esther copied down notes on how to treat werewolf bites and she overheard Harry, Ron, and Hermione on what they would do with a Philosopher's Stone, and Esther noticed that Professor Quirrell would look at Harry's direction with a look of nervousness on his face. Esther thought she saw some concealed hatred in his eyes as well.

Esther soon heard Harry telling Ron and Hermione ", I'm going to play. If I don't, all of the Slytherins except Esther will think I am just scared to face Snape. I'll show them…it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," she heard Hermione tell Harry.

Esther put down her quill and asked Harry ", Snape and Quidditch?"

Hermione grimaced. "Snape is refereeing the next Quidditch match," Hermione answered gravely.

"Oh," Esther answered.

"_Oh_. That's it? You'll realize how terrible it will be for Harry?" Ron asked her.

"I know Snape is not a perfect teacher and he gives Harry a hard time, but I doubt he would want to risk his career by trying to hurt a student," Esther retorted.

"Did you see what happened to Harry at the last Quidditch match?" Hermione asked Esther. "Snape was jinxing his broom."

"I told you, I borrowed Blaise's binocular's and I saw that Snape's mouth was moving, but I also noticed that Professor Quirrell was looking at Harry's direction in great concentration," Esther replied.

"What does this have to do with Professor Quirrell? He was probably hoping that Harry would not fall off," Ron replied.

Noticing their conversation, Quirrell spoke. "N-Now students. L-l-let's not be talkative shall we?"

Esther had a ill feeling that Professor Quirrell was trying to divert their attention away from him.

* * *

"Enter," Snape sternly reply after Esther knocked the door to his office. Esther had mixed feelings about telling Professor Snape about Harry and his friend's belief that Snape was up to no good. She knew that the whole school knew that Harry and Snape hated each other and that it would make things worse for Harry.

Still, Snape needed to know that he was suspected of something he most likely wasn't doing.

Esther entered Snape's office, looking at her surroundings as she approached his desk.

Snape stopped writing with his quill as he made eye contact with her.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Dursley. Is there anything you need?" Snape asked her.

Esther sat in the chair in front of his desk and she paused before asking rather uncomfortably ", has a student that isn't from Slytherin suspected you of anything foul before?"

Snape paused, as he was not expecting that sort of question to come from her mouth. He knew that Esther hung around with her adopted cousin and some of his friends from Gryffindor. Snape knew without a doubt that Harry would suspect him of anything foul and treacherous, since Harry hated Snape, a mutual feeling Snape felt about the boy. Snape felt that Harry was trying to find an excuse for having him sacked.

"No, I haven't been suspected of anything foul, Ms. Dursley," Snape replied. "Did Potter tell you something?"

"Harry and his friends think you are trying to steal something," Esther answered. "They also think you want to kill him."

Snape mentally scoffed. _Trying to get me sacked, is he? _Snape thought to himself. _He's just like his father: lazy, arrogant, full of himself. He even relishes the fame. James Potter would be proud if he knew his son shares the same resentment that he harboured_.

"While I may not like your cousin, Ms. Dursley," Snape replied, "I will honestly tell you that I would never hurt any of the students. I would never risk my job, though one teacher in this school would."

"Has Professor Quirrell acted suspicious around anyone?" Esther asked.

Snape's face turned pale at that question. Somehow, she knew that Professor Quirrell was up to no good. Esther Dursley had to be very observant to notice something.

A trait her father had as well.

Before Esther started her first year at Hogwarts, Snape thought he would hate Esther more than he does Harry, considering that her father was the very man who killed Lily Potter and her husband James. With Esther sorted into Slytherin (Which was something that did not surprise the staff), Snape surprised himself by making Esther one of his favorite students, second to Draco Malfoy.

Snape often asked himself why he was favoring the daughter of the man who killed his old friend (Who he also loved) and her husband while he hated the son of Lily Potter. Snape thought it would be the other way around. He thought that it was just a reaction to once being loyal to the seemingly late Dark Lord.

"I know that he is very cautious about his turban. Has he done anything to make you suspicious?" Snape asked her.

"He gives me points for the smallest things, talks with me after class, and one day, he told me _your father would be proud to see that you made into Slytherin house_," Esther answered.

"You may go," Snape told Esther, a horrible feeling in his stomach.

Esther quietly left her seat and headed towards the door.

"Thank you for your visit, Ms. Dursley," Snape said after her as she left his study.

Snape knew that he would be visiting Dumbledore's office later that day, as he has something new to be suspicious of Professor Quirrell. Also, Snape thought that Esther knew more than what she was saying. He would talk to her soon.

* * *

The week dragged by. Nothing was new though Esther dreaded Saturday night. She never had a detention in her life. To make matters worse, the night she jinxed Draco, Professor McGonagall wrote to both of their parents of their misbehavior. Draco received a red envelope (Which Esther later learned was a Howler, as Draco ran from the Great Hall so no one would hear it) from his father while Esther received a note from her mother, scolding her for her behavior and saying ", you are such a polite girl. To even learn that you jinxed a fellow classmate shocks me and your dad."

Luckily, Petunia did not threaten to take her Hogwarts' text books and other magical supplies when Esther came home for the summer.

That Saturday morning, Esther and Draco were traveling from the Slytherin common room to Great Hall for lunch individually when a voice rang out, "There you are, Ms. Dursley – Malfoy." Professor McGonagall was walking towards them, looking stern. "You will both do your detentions this evening."

"What are we doing, professor?" asked Draco, looking at his feet.

"_You _will be cleaning the bedpans in the hospital wing, Mr. Malfoy," said Professor McGonagall. "No magic."

Draco looked as if he would vomit. His father would be furious if he learned his son was cleaning bedpans.

"And you, Ms. Dursley, will be helping Professor Snape grade assignments," said Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, may I help Professor Snape too? He might need one more person to help him," asked Draco, trying to find a way to get out of cleaning the bedpans.

"Certainly not," said Professor McGonagall. "Professor Snape only requested Ms. Dursley to help him. Eight o'clock sharp, the both of you."

Draco slouched into the Great Hall in a deepest state of gloom, as Esther looked at him with a _well-you-should-have-kept-your-wand-to-yourself-an d-we-would-not-be-facing-this_ expression. Draco whined about it at meal time.

"Bedpans. If Filch accompanies me, he'll have me there all night," Draco whined. "They want me to do servants stuff. I want to write to my father about this."

"Has your father received a detention when he came to Hogwarts as a student?" Esther asked him.

"Well, only twice in his first year. He had it bad too," Draco muttered, staring at his meal in embarrassment.

Saturday afternoon seemed to melt away, and in what seemed like no time, it was six minutes to eight and Esther was walking to Snape's office. Surely there was another reason why Snape would request Esther's audience. Perhaps he wanted to see what more she knew about Harry's accusations against him. Esther dreaded another detention if she told a Hogwarts professor that she knew about the Philosopher's Stone, something that was supposed to be a secret between the staff.

Esther knocked and she heard Snape sternly reply, "Enter."

Esther shuffled into Snape's office, looking at the jars of pickled animals that were placed against the wall.

"Good timing, Ms. Dursley. I was expecting you," said Snape as she headed towards a small desk with a pile of papers as well as a quill and ink. "You will be helping me grade assignments from this week. I will be grading the first years papers, since I do not want you to see your grade when until you see it in the next lesson."

Esther sat at her seat and looked at the answer key. She was to grade second year assignments. Might as well give her a little sneak peak of what is to come the next year.

It was quiet and only the sound of quills on paper filled the silence. After ten minutes of silence, Snape said, "So, your cousin thinks I am trying to steal something."

Esther paused before she answered ", yes, Professor."

"Can you tell me what he thinks I want to steal?" Snape asked silkily.

Esther gulped. If she told him, she would be given another detention.

"If you tell me, I will keep it confidential between you and me. Also, Dumbledore wants to see if you know more than what you told me. You will not be given a detention if you tell me," Snape encouraged.

She took a deep breath and replied ", Harry, Ron, and Hermione think you are trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone and are trying to get past that three headed dog to get it."

"When and where did they find out?" Snape asked her, as he continued to grade first year assignments.

"Hagrid accidently slipped about Nicholas Flamel and the three of them have been trying to find out about him for months until Hermione found his name in a book that she checked out for light reading and they learned from there that he created the Philosopher's Stone," said Esther.

"And Potter thinks I want to kill him because he thinks I know he found out?" Snape asked.

"Yes, after the incident at the last Quidditch match with his broomstick," Esther answered. "Hermione thinks that you were the one jinxing his broom as you never blinked."

"Curses can be done non-verbally also. Your mouth doesn't always have to move to do a curse," Snape replied. "Also, reading about curses is different than practicing them."

"I borrowed Blaise Zabani's binoculars to see why Harry's broom was acting crazy and I noticed that Professor Quirrel was looking at Harry's direction in great concentration and he wasn't saying a thing," said Esther, returning to her grading.

"Ms. Dursley. Will you promise me not to linger at Defense Against the Dark Arts class? Make sure you are the first one who leaves the classroom and do not listen to Professor Quirrell if he asks you to stay after," Snape said to her in a grave manner.

"Is he that bad?" Esther asked.

"Dumbledore is suspicious of him as well," said Snape. "Do not go and tell the other students about our conversations. Potter will not believe you anyway, considering the mutual hostility we have."

"Yes, professor," said Esther returning to her task of grading assignments.

It took two hours for Esther to assist Snape in grading assignments and at ten o'clock at night, Snape released her from his office. Full of fatigue, Esther dragged herself into the Slytherin common room and like a thief in the night, she prepared herself for bed without anybody noticing.

* * *

As the Quidditch match drew nearer, Esther could tell Harry was anxious and tried to cheer him up by assuring him that he will win the game untouched. Esther actually got into an argument with Hermione about Snape refereeing the Quidditch match ("You are awfully blind to see what is going on. Surely being Harry's cousin, you would agree with us about Snape," Hermione retorted to her; "Just because Harry and I live under the same roof doesn't mean I would see everything the way he sees it," Esther argued back).

Both of them didn't talk to each other for the rest of the day and the next day, Esther and Hermione acted like they never fought ("Well, it is natural for her to defend Snape. She is a Slytherin," Hermione told Harry and Ron during lunch one afternoon).

During Potions lessons, Esther noticed that Snape was horrible to Harry. She even heard from Harry that he would bump into Snape at the corridors. Harry thought that Snape was following him and trying to get him on his own. Esther assumed that Snape was roaming the halls to see that students were not dawdling. Esther knew that Snape never told anyone of what she told him, but she guessed that his treatment of Harry was a reaction to the knowledge of being accused of planning to steal the Philosopher's Stone, while Harry had a horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.

* * *

On the day of the match, Esther wished Harry a good luck before heading to the Slytherin common room.

The Slytherin common room was hectic but less so considering that Slytherin wasn't facing off with Hufflepuff. Esther thought she heard Draco saying how he wished that Gryffindor would lose.

"Professor Snape is refereeing, so I am confident that Gryffindor will lose the match," Draco told Crabbe and Goyle.

Esther wished that she would tie his tongue, though she knew she might get detention for the rest of the year if that happened.

When they were led to the Quidditch field, Esther could see that Snape was mad about something, as he was pacing the ground, holding a broomstick.

"Something's got him angry," Draco muttered.

"Well, he must have waked up on the wrong side of the bed," said Esther.

When the game started, it seemed to pass in a blur, the only thing that she did notice was Harry catching the snitch and Snape awarding Hufflepuff a penalty because George had hit a bludger at him.

Esther was one of those that congratulated Harry and she spent the rest of the afternoon, studying at the courtyard, though she witnessed Ron and Draco getting into an altercation.

An hour later, Hermione was asking Esther where she knew Harry was, when he showed up, looking breathless and white as a sheet.

Ron was excitedly telling Harry about what happened after the Quidditch match when Harry interrupted him.

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find a empty room, you wait 'til you hear this…"

Harry made sure no one was inside before shutting the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.

"So we were right, it _is _the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' – I reckon there are other things protecting the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through".

"So you mean the stone is only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

"It'll be gone next Tuesday," said Ron.

"Professor Snape could have meant anything with the term 'hocus pocus'. Maybe he was trying to…" Esther began before Hermione cut her off.

"Really, Esther. You need to stop living under a rock and open your eyes to this. Just because you are in Slytherin does not mean that Snape is not planning something like he is," argued Hermione.

Esther wondered if Hermione, who was usually bright, was not paying attention to certain things which incriminate Quirrell.

* * *

**Sorry if it was too long. **

**The reason Lucius Malfoy sent Draco a Howler was to decry him for losing fifty points in Slytherin and not containing himself, not the fact that Draco jinxed Neville. **

.


	20. Studying For Exams

**Enjoy!**

* * *

To Ron, Harry, and Hermione, Quirrell must have been braver then they thought. However, Esther was watching him like a hawk. In the weeks that followed, he'd seemed to be getting paler and thinner. Esther secretly wondered if he was hiding something, though she didn't share it with Ron, Harry, and Hermione, as they would counter her opinions and give her the "Snape is responsible" views.

Snape was still sweeping about in his usual bad temper. Having observed Snape, Esther knew that this was normal of him, though Harry and his friends saw it as a sign that the Stone was still safe. Whenever Harry passed Quirrell these days he give him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron started telling people off for laughing at his stutter. Esther thought they were supporting the wrong person, as she thought it would only encourage Quirrell to do what he was up to.

Esther knew that Quirrell didn't seem the type to do anything foul, but she read somewhere that people can look deceiving and would use that deceiving image to get away with something foul.

In Esther's logic, no one would suspect a stuttering, stammering, and twitching Professor of stealing the Philosopher's Stone and she guessed that Quirrell knew that too.

Exams were coming up, and like Hermione, Esther color coded her notes and highlighted and heavily underlined certain words.

"Exams are ages away," Draco complained.

"Ten weeks would go faster as you grow up," Esther told him.

Esther noticed that she was starting to hang around with Draco and she would spend the rest of her time with Harry and his friends, as she didn't want to give them the wrong impression. Harry and his friends never held that against her, as they assumed it was a reaction to being in Slytherin for most of term.

"Most Slytherin first years are hanging around Draco. You are not the only one," Hermione assured her.

Over the weeks, they were piled with so much homework on them that Easter holidays weren't nearly as fun as Christmas. Crabbe, worried that he would fail the exams, copied Esther's homework and her notes and when Esther caught him, she threatened that she would either jinx him or report him if he didn't stop cheating off of her hard work.

Esther spent her free time with Ron, Harry, and Hermione in the library, trying to go through all their extra work.

"I'll never remember this," Ron whined, throwing his quill on the table and looking longingly outside, as it was the first fine day they seen in a long time.

"Don't worry, Ron", said Esther as she gave him her notes. "Use these as reference."

"You never allow Malfoy's lackeys to use your notes," said Ron.

"Well, they wanted to copy off of them," Esther said, continuing her homework.

Harry was looking up "Dittany" in _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_, didn't look up until he heard Ron say ", Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up to?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

Esther tuned out their conversation and she didn't look up as she studied until she heard Ron mention something about dragons and how Hagrid was breaking a law, which prohibited Dragon breeding.

* * *

Esther was not the least interested to see what was in Hagrid's hut, as she didn't want to get tangled up in something illegal and spent the afternoon, studying in the Slytherin common room, as Daphne and Millicent tried to cram their studying, so they could have some time to themselves before exams started.

For the rest of the week, Esther was not interested about Hagrid breeding a dragon, until she seen a look on Draco's face like he found out how to cause trouble. He even mentioned it to Crabbe and Goyle.

"Hagrid has a dragon in his hut. He is breaking a law, you know," Draco said to them one day.

"Are you going to tell Dumbledore?" Crabbe asked him.

"Not until I see them seeing the dragon the second time," Draco replied. Esther came to Ron and Harry and verified it to them that Draco knew about the dragon.

"Is he going to tell Dumbledore?" Ron asked nervously.

"Well, he could be bluffing, but he told Crabbe he was not telling until he sees you with it the second time," Esther replied, and she noticed that something was wrong with Ron's hand.

"Did the dragon bite you?" Esther asked.

"Yes, and it hurts," Ron whined. "It feels swollen too."

By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand had swollen to twice its usual size. Reluctantly, he went to Madam Pomfrey so he could get it treated.

* * *

Esther was on her way to the hospital wing to give a copy of her notes to Ron when she was approached by Draco.

"Seeing Weasley?" Draco asked her.

"Yes, why does that matter?" Esther asked.

"I want to see if I can borrow one of his books," said Draco, walking with her.

"You want to laugh at him, do you?" Esther deduced.

Draco's expression changed in a split second.

"I am not surprised if a dragon bit him. I wish I saw it," Draco mused as he followed her to the hospital wing.

Esther told Madam Pomfrey she was giving Ron a copy of her notes and Esther soon left, knowing that she's be ushered out, though she heard Malfoy start laughing at Ron when she left the hospital wing.

* * *

On Saturday, Hermione and Harry asked her if she could be with them when Norbet, the Norwegian Ridgeback that Hagrid bred in his hut, left. Esther, not wanting to risk another detention, refused.

"You might want to see Norbert before he leaves with Charlie," Harry told her.

"I had a detention once and I do not want to get caught. Do you know what mummy would do if I got another detention?" Esther said in reply.

"We'll be careful," Hermione said.

"Still, I do not want to risk it. Quoting Murphy's Law _Anything that could go wrong, will go wrong_," Esther replied. "And I hope you do not do what are planning."

Esther spent the rest of her day with Harry and his friends and before it was time to turn in for the night, Esther crossed her fingers, hoping that Harry will not get into trouble.

However, when it was time for bed, Draco blocked her way to the dormitory.

"What do you want?" Esther asked him.

"This is what I found in Weasley's book," said Draco, pulling a piece of parchment from his pocket and handing it to Esther. It read…

_Dear Ron,_

_ How are you? Thanks for the letter – I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon._

_ Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark._

_ Send me an answer as soon as possible._

_ Love,_

_ Charlie_

"So they are coming to get the dragon," Esther said, folding the piece of parchment and stuffing it in her pocket. "I told them not to do it. They even asked me if I could come along. I said 'no'."

"You want to come with me to stop them?" Draco asked.

"And risk a second detention?" asked Esther. "You are only doing this to get them expelled."

"Not that," said Draco, defensively. "I just don't want something illegal on the school grounds. I'm sure you don't want to either."

Esther considered it. While she did not want to see her cousin and Hermione get into any trouble, she was hoping that they succeeded in getting the dragon out of here without getting caught. Still, she wanted them out of trouble.

"Okay. We'll stop them from staying up past curfew," said Esther. "But we must be really careful so Professor McGonagall or Filch does not catch us."

"Sounds good," said Draco. "Meet me in Slytherin Common room an hour before midnight."

A few minutes later, Esther, while wearing her white nightgown and green bathrobe, lay awake as she heard the others in her dorm fall asleep.

She did not know how she and Draco were going to stop Harry and Hermione from breaking curfew without getting caught.

Ten to eleven, Esther quietly left her bed and tiptoed down the stairs to the Slytherin common room, where Draco was already waiting.

* * *

"The note did say the tallest tower. So I am guessing it is the astronomy tower," Esther whispered to Draco as they walked in the dungeons to reach the first floor.

"Makes sense," said Draco. In his mind, telling on Harry and Hermione would redeem the house points he lost, while Esther feared that if the five of them were caught, they would get in trouble.

As she and Draco entered the entrance hall, they came face to face with Neville Longbottom.

"What are you doing past bedtime, Longbottom?" Draco asked him rather snidely.

"Neville, go to bed," said Esther. "Go to bed or we will get into trouble."

"I will not let you get Harry and Hermione into trouble," Neville said, looking at Draco.

"Oh, so you are going to go warn them?" Draco asked, a sneer on his face.

Neville nodded before running from them.

"You shouldn't have done that," chided Esther.

"Not my fault if he gets into trouble too," said Draco. "It be bad to get tangled into something like this."

Draco and Esther tiptoed through the darkened corridors of the school, trying to find their way to the corridor to the astronomy tower.

"Almost there," Draco said, as they were a few miles away to the corridor leading to the astronomy tower.

"What are you two doing here? It's the middle of the night!" they heard McGonagall's voice behind them.

They both reeled around to see McGonagall, in her tartan bathrobe and a hair net, her breathing heavily through her nostrils.

"But, Professor, we are trying to stop Harry from seeing something illegal," Esther hastily replied.

"That is no excuse for wandering the corridors at this time at night," shouted Professor McGonagall. She grabbed Draco by the ear and yanked Esther's sleeve as she said, "Come with me."

As she dragged them away from the astronomy tower, she shouted at them, "Detention! And twenty points each from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how _dare _you two…"

"You don't understand, Professor," Draco said. "Harry Potter's coming – he's got a dragon!"

"Yes, Professor," said Esther. "It is the truth."

"What utter rubbish! How dare the both of you tell such lies! Come on – I shall see Professor Snape about you, Malfoy and Ms. Dursley."

Esther thought her night could not get any worse.

* * *

**R & R**


	21. The Forbidden Forest

**I'm sorry if this is following the books too much. I just want the feeling that you are reading J.K Rowling's book. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Esther and Draco were waiting in Professor Snape's study when Professor McGonagall came to get them.

"I see the both of you got into more trouble," Professor McGonagall as she led them into her study. "Filch just caught Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger out at night as well."

Esther's stomach tied into a knot while Draco smirked at the aspect.

She led them to her study on the first floor before she left again. Two minutes later, Filch came in the office, with Hermione and Harry in tow. Harry looked horror struck seeing Esther. He could tell by her expression that she never meant to try to get him into trouble, that Malfoy must have insisted she come with him.

They waited. Draco was smirking at Harry and Hermione, looking triumphant. Hermione was trembling. Esther, was too nervous for words, that she was practically silent. Harry looked nervous, as he knew he would not get out of trouble this time.

Soon, Professor McGonagall appeared, leading Neville.

"Harry!" Neville burst out, seeing Harry and Hermione. "I was trying to find you to warn you, I heard Malfoy saying he was trying to catch you, he said you had a drag…"

Harry shook his head violently to shut Neville up, but Professor McGonagall had seen. She towered over the three Gryffindors, breathing heavily, as Draco and Esther sat and watched.

"I would never believed it of any of you. I caught Ms. Dursley and Mr. Malfoy out at midnight. Mr. Filch says you were up in the astronomy tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. _Explain yourselves_."

Hermione, who always had a answer for anything, surprised Esther by staring at her slippers, still as a statue.

"I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on," said Professor McGonagall. "It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed both Esther Dursley and Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get them both out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught them. I suppose you think it's funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it too?"

Esther knew it wasn't true, as she knew that Harry would never lie about it. She had the letter from Charlie (that Draco stole from Ron) to prove it. Harry tried to tell him without words that it wasn't true, as Neville was looking stunned and hurt.

"I'm disgusted," Professor McGonagall told the two Slytherins and three Gryffindors. "Five students out of bed in one night! I've never heard such a thing before!" She rounded on the three Gryffindors in front of her, "You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detention – yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, _nothing _gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous – and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"_Fifty_?" Harry gasped – Esther thought it was a bit unfair, as she and Draco only lost twenty points each.

"Fifty points _each_," said Professor McGonagall.

"Professor – please…" begged Hermione.

"That is unfair, Professor," said Esther.

"You _can't…_" begged Harry.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter. Now get back to bed all of you," said Professor McGonagall. "I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students – stop smirking Mr. Malfoy, you and Ms. Dursley were out of bed too, which does not exclude you from detention."

Esther slouched into the Slytherin first years girls' dormitory. All night, she couldn't sleep, wondering how to approach Harry the next day.

* * *

"There must be a mistake," Esther heard a Gryffindor sixth year say as she passed by the giant hourglasses, the next morning.

"How could we be a hundred and fifty points less? We just won the Quidditch match with Hufflepuff not too long ago," she heard another Gryffindor speak out loud. "That is not possible."

"I will go to Professor McGonagall about this," she heard Alicia Spinnett mutter to herself. "Hopefully this is just an error."

Esther knew that the loss of a hundred and fifty points was not a mistake, as she had seen for herself that Neville, Harry, and Hermione lost fifty points each from Gryffindor.

Gemma Farley had been on their case all morning.

"It is your fault you are tired, Malfoy," she chided. "You should have stayed in bed, then listen to a falsehood."

Draco didn't listen, as he pondered his porridge.

Soon, the story spread that Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, the Gryffindor hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost Gryffindor all those points, and a couple of other stupid first years.

From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs turned on him, because everyone had been longing to see Slytherin lose the house cup. Esther thought that it was ridiculous, and she deduced that Harry was only liked because of the fact that he supposedly vanquished Voldemort. While Hufflepuffs, Gryffindors, and Ravenclaws insulted Harry whenever he went, the Slytherins (with the obvious exception of Esther) cheered, clapped, and whistled.

"Why is he here? He should just leave and never come back," she heard Hannah Abbot say to Ernie Macamillian one Potions class.

Esther did not hesitate to turn around and say ", that proves you only liked being around my cousin because of his fame."

"If he was more careful…" Ernie began.

"We are just eleven, Ernie. We shouldn't put it on his shoulders," Esther retorted. "Us first years are not perfect. Draco and I lost fifty points each from Slytherin a month ago. A lot can happen two from now until the end of term."

"Still, Gryffindor will be in last place and your house will be first place again in seven years," said Hannah before continuing, "but to give you credit, at least you are not gloating about it like the rest of the Slytherins. Why did the sorting hat place you there anyway? You belong in Ravenclaw. You don't fit in with the other children of former Death Eaters."

Considering that Esther was on friendly terms with _The Boy Who Lived_, her sorting into Slytherin house at the start of term confused many of the first years as well as the older students of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor. Slytherins and Gryffindors were known for being antagonistic towards each other, that it confused most Hogwarts students to see a Slytherin first year and a Gryffindor first year to walk next to each other on their way to classes.

This conversation she had with two of the Hufflepuff first years caused Esther to wonder if the sorting hat would make a mistake. During lunch, Esther asked Gemma Farley if she thought she was misplaced.

"The sorting hat doesn't make mistakes, Esther. Sure, we have some others here which I feel should be in Slytherin or not, but every house has a novelty. A Slytherin being friends with a Gryffindor never usually happens, but when it does, it's rare," Gemma assured her.

Not satisfied, Esther still had her doubts and never asked again.

Esther could tell that Hermione and Neville were suffering as well. While not as famous as Harry, no one would talk to them also. Hermione never drew attention to herself in class and kept quiet. Nobody gave Esther and Draco a hard time, since the former and the latter were from Slytherin house, as Slytherin points didn't matter.

On the other hand, Esther was glad that exams were not far away and she knew that studying would keep Harry out of his world in misery. She, Ron, Harry, and Hermione would keep to themselves, spending long hours in the library but at the Slytherin common room after dinner, Esther would form a study group with Blaise, Daphne, and Millicent late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients to complicated potions, learn charms and spells, memorize the dates of magical discoveries and goblin rebellions. Blaise, Daphne, and Millicent tried to memorize their notes and used Esther's notes as reference, knowing that they would fail if she did not study with them.

Then, a week before exams were due to start, Esther headed to Defense Against the Dark Arts class to retrieve some notes she accidently left behind in class. The door at the other end of the classroom was open ajar, as if Quirrell forgot to close it.

Upon entering the classroom, Esther noticed that Professor Quirrell was shaken, but he greeted her as he saw her enter.

"W-w-hat b-brings you here, Ms. Dursley?" Professor Quirrell stammered.

"I thought I left my notes in here," Esther stated.

"Oh. They are right here. You dropped them when you left class," he said, as he nervously went through his desk to find the papers he was looking for.

As Esther hesitantly approached his podium, she thought she heard something that made her jump.

_Quirrell, you haven't retrieved the stone yet_, said a disembodied voice.

Professor Quirrell acted like nothing ever happened and handed Esther her notes, with a nervous smile.

Without hesitation, Esther ran from the classroom and ran into Harry who was leaving the library, where they heard Quirrell crying a few feet away.

"No – No – Not again, please."

Esther knew someone was threatening Professor Quirrell. Perhaps that disembodied voice that she heard earlier. Harry grabbed Esther's sleeve gently as they moved closer.

"All right – all right," they heard Quirrell sob.

Next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom straightening his turban. He was pale and looked as though he was about to cry. He strode out of sight; Esther didn't think that Quirrell noticed her and Harry. They waited until he was out of sight, then they both peered at the classroom, seeing that the door at the other end was still open ajar in the empty classroom.

"Snape's been here," Harry muttered to himself.

"Why?" Esther asked.

"That door's open ajar," said Harry.

"It was like that when I came in here," Esther retorted.

"You went into Quirrell's classroom?" Harry asked.

"I forgot my notes," said Esther.

It sounded confusing, but Harry still had a feeling that Snape was in here threatening Quirrell. And had managed to have him give in and that Snape told Esther to lie about it.

"Come," Harry told her, as they both went to the library, where Hermione was testing Ron on Astronomy. Harry told them what he'd heard.

"Snape's done it then!" said Ron. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell..."

"There's still Fluffy, though," said Hermione.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," said Ron, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them. "I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So, what do we do, Harry?"

"Go to Dumbledore. That's what we should have done ages ago. If the three of us, not counting Esther, try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure," said Hermione.

"But we've got no _proof_!" said Harry. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say that he doesn't know how the troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor corridor – who do you think they'll believe, him or us? It is not exactly a secret that the three of the four of us hate him, Dumbledore'll think we made it up just to get him sacked. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining."

"On the contrary, Harry, you and our friends don't have any proof or evidence," said Esther. "It is mostly circumstantial. It is common to suspect the person you hate of doing something foul. To my knowledge, you have no evidence that Snape will do the sort."

"The evidence is right in front of you!" Hermione said, hitting the table. "Snape let the troll in and jinxed Harry's broom. He was two minutes late to the feast…"

"Sorry, Miss I-Know-Everything, but you and I were not within earshot what Snape was saying at the stand. We just saw his mouth moving. He could have been saying anything. The reason why Snape was two minutes late was because he had to reprimand two Hufflepuffs for disrupting class, compared to Quirrell, who wasn't at the feast at all until he warned the school about the troll," said Esther. "And as I said before, Snape could have meant anything when he talked about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus'. You only think it is Snape because you want it to be him."

"Snape could have told you any falsehood he wanted to give himself a alibi," said Hermione, face red.

Trying to break the tension, Ron spoke.

"If we just do a bit of poking around…"

"No," said Harry flatly, "We've done enough poking around."

* * *

The following morning, notes were delivered to Esther and Draco at the Slytherin table. They were both the same:

_Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr. Filch at the entrance hall._

_ Professor M. McGonagall_

Esther spat out her pumpkin juice at the note.

"Eleven at night! I know we deserve it, but not this late at night," said Esther.

"Our last detentions were at eight o'clock," said Draco in agreement. "My father will hear about this."

At ten to eleven, they said good-bye to Crabbe, Goyle, and Daphne in the common room and went up to the entrance hall. Filch was already there.

"Seven minutes early," said Filch.

At two past eleven, came Harry, Hermione, and Neville. Esther had forgotten that Harry, Hermione, and Neville also had detention.

"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading them outside.

"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" he said, leering at them. "Oh yes…hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me…it's just a pity that they let the old punishments die out…hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days, I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're ever needed …Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now, it'll be worse for you if you do."

They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffling, while Esther exchanged nervous looks with both Harry and Draco. She wondered what their punishment was going to be. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't be sounding so delighted.

The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it kept throwing them into darkness. Ahead, Esther could see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. Then, they heard a distant shout.

"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want to get started."

She saw a flicker of hope on Harry's face as Draco muttered threats under his breath, saying he be writing to his father about this.

"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy – it's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll come out in one piece," Filch said to Harry.

At this, Neville let out a little moan, Esther's face turned white as a sheet, and Draco stopped dead in his tracks.

"The forest?" he repeated, and he didn't sound quite as cool as usual. "I thought that was a joke. We can't go in there."

Filch turned to look at him.

"Student's aren't allowed, and there are…" said Draco before hearing a howl, "werewolves."

Neville clutched the sleeve of Harry's robe and made a choking noise.

"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad," said Filch. "You can be sure of that."

Draco looked fear stricken.

Hagrid came striding towards them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He was carrying his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.

"About time," he said. "I been waiting for half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"

"I shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished after all."

"That's why your late, is it?" said Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Been lecturing them, eh? 'Snot your place to do that. You've done your bit, I'll take over from here."

"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "For what's left of them," he added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.

Draco now turned to Hagrid.

"I'm not going in that forest," he said, and Esther smirked at the note of panic in his voice.

"You are if you want to stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "You've done wrong an' now you've got to pay for it."

"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd be copying lines or something, if my father knew I was doing this, he'd…"

"…tell you that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled, "Copyin' lines! What's good that to anyone? You'll do something useful or you'll get out. If you think your father'd rather were expelled, then get back to the castle an' pack . Go on!

Draco didn't move. He looked at Hagrid furiously, but then dropped his gaze.

"Right then," said Hagrid, "now, listen carefully, 'cause it's dangerous what we're gonna do tonight, an' I don' want no one takin' risks. Follow me."

He lead the five of them deep into the forest. Esther, was getting the creeps and the skeevies as she trudged through the forests ground. Neville was sniffling while Draco kept looking back, fear evident on his features.

Soon. Hagrid and Fang stopped. He set his bow and arrows at a tree before bending over and dipping his finger in a thick silver liquid.

"Hagrid, what is that?" Harry asked.

"What we're here for," said Hagrid before showing his fingers. "See that? That's unicorn blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been hurt bad by something."

"Now, it's our job to go and find the poor beast," said Hagrid before turning to Hermione. "Neville, Hermione, come with me."

"Okay," sniffled Neville.

Hagrid turned to Harry and said ", And, Harry, you'll go with Esther and Malfoy."

"Okay. Then I get Fang," said Draco, seeing Fang's long teeth.

"Fine. Just to let you know, he's a bloody coward," said Hagrid.

Esther, Draco, and Harry looked at Fang, who let out a long whine.

Hagrid gave Draco a lamp before the two groups separated.

* * *

"You wait till my father hears about this," Draco told Esther and Harry as they travelled through the forest with Fang. "This is servant's stuff."

"You are still going to tell your father," said Esther.

"Of course, Dursley," Draco told her. "After the bedpans, now this. I rather do the bedpans then be here."

"If I didn't know better, Draco," said Harry. "I'd say you were scared."

"I'm not scared, Potter," said Draco before they heard something.

"Do you hear that?" asked Draco, before the three of them moved on.

"Come on, Fang," said Harry.

"Scared," said Draco as if he wouldn't be.

"Says the boy who was scared to come in here," Esther muttered darkly.

The three of them traveled through the trees and after they descended from a small hill, Fang sniffed the ground around him and started to growl, and Esther stopped in her tracks, as did Draco, fear evident on both their faces.

Bent over on a mangled unicorn, was a cloaked figure, draining from its corpse.

"What is it, Fang?" Harry asked, before he turned to see what was in front of him.

Harry suddenly put his hand on his scar, as if it was hurting him.

The cloaked figure looked at the trio, his mouth covered in silver blood, and growled.

Draco let out terrible scream as Esther shrieked and both of them bolted – so did, Fang.

Both of them, Fang accompanying them, ran far away from the hooded creature, as they tried to find the rest of their mission party.

* * *

When dawn started to break, Filch came for Harry, Neville, Hermione, Esther, and Draco. He was rather a bit disappointed that the five of them made it out of the forest intact.

As he led them back into the entrance hall, Esther had a feeling, due to the expressions on Harry and Hermione's faces, that they might have discovered something a bit peculiar. Once the five of them were separated, Esther and Draco travelled to the dungeons to go back to the common room.

"I'm about ready to crash," complained Draco, as they passed by Professor Snape's empty classroom. "That was the worse night of my existence."

"I might take a ten minute nap," said Esther, before she turned to Draco and suddenly asked, "Do Hermione and Harry know something we don't?"

Draco shrugged and said, "I don't know. Granger and Potter are always up to something."

The both of them were silent when they entered the Slytherin common room.

* * *

Later that morning, Esther received a note from Harry. It said…

_See Hermione, Ron, and I in the courtyard. It's urgent_.

Her curiosity peakened, Esther finished her breakfast and met up with the three of them in the courtyard.

"What is it?" Esther asked.

"Esther, you need to hear this. It is about Snape. We now know why he wants to steal the Stone," Harry said breathlessly.

"Still obsessed about Snape, Harry? I told you, Harry, there is no evidence that would suggest Professor Snape would…" Esther began before Hermione, who was with Harry and Ron, cut her off.

"Don't give us that, again, Esther. We have _plenty_ of evidence: he tried to get past Fluffy on Halloween, he tried to kill Harry twice, though Dumbledore was there the second Quidditch match so Snape wouldn't do anything, he threatened Quirrell to lift a spell protecting the stone," said Hermione.

"Just to let you know, this allegation was based on your hatred of Professor Snape," said Esther. "That is the only foundation you have. Besides, if Snape is so smart, why would he ask Quirrell how to lift a spell?"

"No wonder I am glad I did not get sorted into Slytherin. Like a Slytherin drone, you'd defend Snape every chance you get," Ron retorted.

Esther's face turned red. "I did not want to get sorted into Slytherin in the first place, Weasley. I actually live with muggles unlike Draco and his goons." Esther continued as she turned to Hermione ", if you are so smart, investigate rather than base your claims on the fact that Professor Snape gives Harry a horrible time at Potions lessons."

"You are stubborn, are you?" said Ron. "I suppose you told Snape that we suspected him of trying to steal the Stone."

Esther's face turned white as a sheet.

"Well, did you?" asked Hermione, furious at this possible betrayal.

"He had to know," said Esther. "He is a Hogwarts Professor. I had to tell him. With false accusations, you have to tell the…"

"How dare you?" said Hermione. "No wonder he was horrible to Harry before the second Quidditch match, as you ratted on us."

"I didn't rat on you," said Esther. "I was just being honest, as you have no evidence against him."

Harry didn't know what to make of it. He trusted her. She was the one who had a heart for him at Four Privet Drive. He was tempted to give her the cold shoulder, but he knew from a outsider's view, if they felt someone was falsely accused, he would do the same. Anyway, it was better that Esther had done that then Malfoy, as he would twist the whole thing.

"We do have evidence, Esther. Get your head out a rock and start seeing the truth before your eyes," retorted Hermione. "Being in Slytherin has put you in the deep end. I suggest you take off the blinders."

Exasperated, Esther turned her heel and headed inside the school.

"How ignorant of her," said Hermione, seeing Esther's retreating figure. "The evidence we have against Snape is right in front of her and she has the nerve to say that there is _no _evidence that he is trying to steal the stone for Voldemort and trying to kill Harry. Not to mention she told Snape about our accusation."

"A true Slytherin," said Ron with contempt. "She is better off hanging around with Malfoy and his lackeys."

"Honestly, Harry," said Hermione. "What do you see in your cousin? Slytherin is only going to get her worse and it is starting to do its damage."

Since then, Ron and Hermione refused to speak to Esther, due to her defense of Snape and her spilling the beans to him. It hardly bothered Esther anyway, as she knew that they would see the truth anyway. Only Harry was willing to speak to her. While Harry did not agree with her, he believed that Slytherin did not throw her at the deep end like what Ron and Hermione thought. Esther was the still person he knew before the start of term.

When Esther would sit next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Hermione and Ron would instantly sit at the other end of the table, a reluctant Harry following them.

Esther took her mind out of her problems when exams started. It was sweltering hot, especially in a large classroom where they written their papers with quills that had an anti-cheating charm.

They were given practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one to see if they can make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk. Professor Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a forgetfulness potion.

After the last exam, Esther spent her time in the Slytherin common room, knowing that Ron and Hermione would not take it kindly if they saw her. Though something told her to leave the common room so she could find Harry.

She happened to pass by Professor McGonagall's classroom when she heard Harry's voice, which made her stop.

"Professor, I think – I _know_ – that Sn – that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Dumbledore," Harry told Professor McGonagall.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she heard Professor McGonagall tell Harry. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it is too protected."

"But Prof…" she heard Harry began.

"Potter, I know what I am talking about. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine," Esther heard Professor McGonagall tell them. Esther saw McGonagall about to leave her seat and she ran to the library so she wouldn't get caught eaves dropping.

* * *

While Esther was at the library, she saw Harry, and his friends enter, whispering to each other.

She strained her ears to see what they were saying to each other and managed to hear Harry say "…I'll bring my invisibility cloak, and we'll sneak to the third floor corridor to stop Snape."

_An invisibility cloak? _Esther thought, very confused. Harry never mentioned it to her either, which was weird. Esther turned her head to her book, as to pretend that she was not listening.

Though, she could not shake the feeling that Harry and his friends might get into trouble for the second time, and she did not want to risk a third detention.

After dinner, Esther spent the rest of her time at the Slytherin common room, where Draco was handing out invitations to his birthday party at Malfoy manor taking place two weeks after term would end. To Esther's shock and irritation, she was invited as well. She was planning to give a response that she was not coming to his birthday party.


	22. The Truth Revealed

**The next chapter starts at the **_**Chamber of Secrets**_**. **

**In my opinion, in regards to Petunia Dursley nee Evans, I do not think she was as ignorant of the wizarding world like Vernon was, as her sister went to Hogwarts. In the fifth book, Petunia took the threat of Voldemort more seriously than Vernon, as she like Harry, knew what Lord Voldemort being back would mean. In my opinion, I think what finalized Petunia's dislike of the wizarding world, was because another wizard killed her sister and brother-in-law in cold blood. **

**Read on.**

* * *

When Esther woke up the next morning, nothing suggested that anything was different until she left the Slytherin common room and she came face to face with Professor McGonagall.

"Ms. Dursley, Professor Dumbledore wants to see you in his office," said Professor McGonagall.

"Am I in trouble?" Esther asked, dread setting into her stomach.

"No, Ms. Dursley but it is about your cousin," Professor McGonagall replied, looking serious.

A thousand questions filled Esther's head? Did Harry get hurt? Did someone get him into trouble?

Esther's mind was racing as she followed Professor McGonagall.

* * *

Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, reading a issue of _Transfiguration Today _when the door opened and Esther slowly entered his office after Professor McGonagall closed the door after Esther.

"Good morning, Ms. Dursley," Dumbledore greeted her warmly. "Have a seat."

Esther slowly approached his desk and took a seat after ascending the leading up to it.

"You know why I summoned you here, Ms. Dursley," said Dumbledore after she sat down.

"Harry? Is he alright?" asked Esther.

"He is okay, child. He is at the hospital wing. He and his friends had a long night," replied Dumbledore.

"Hermione and Ron? Are they okay?" Esther asked again.

"Yes. They are tired and sleeping in their dormitories," answered Dumbledore.

"What happened last night?" asked Esther, shifting nervously in her seat.

"Just between you and me, though the school will know naturally soon enough," Dumbledore said. "Last night, Harry Potter and his friends traveled to the third floor corridor to stop someone from stealing the Stone. They were hoping that they would get their first before the individual responsible would take the Stone."

"Did Professor Quirrell…" Esther began before Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet her.

"No. my child. Professor Quirrell was thwarted in his attempt and the Stone has been destroyed, in order to ensure the safety of the school," said Dumbledore.

"I knew it was him, all this time. The actions which gave me red flags were that he was the only one who saw the troll get in and that I was his favorite student when I didn't do anything to be his favorite student," Esther said breathlessly. "I tried to tell Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but they were so wrapped up in their accusation of Professor Snape that they didn't listen."

"People can come off as deceiving, even people like Professor Quirrell, and even the most obvious people would not be capable of anything. Professor Snape may seem suspicious, but his alliance is in the right side and I'm sure Professor Quirrell told Harry that Professor Snape was actually protecting the Stone and Harry Potter from Professor Quirrell," said Dumbledore, as he took a lemon drop from a cup that sat on his desk.

"What happened to Professor Quirrell?" Esther asked suddenly.

"The love that Lily Potter protected Harry when she died was so great that Quirrell's hate couldn't survive it and after his death, Voldemort left his body," Dumbledore said.

"Voldemort was in him?" Esther asked.

"Voldemort inhabited his body and was surviving on unicorn's blood, though he wanted the Stone so he could come back," said Dumbledore.

"Will, Voldemort come back?" Esther asked.

"Unfortunately, there are other ways in which he will return," said Dumbledore.

"A few months ago, Quirrell told me that my father would be proud that I was sorted into Slytherin. Who was my father?" Esther asked. "I ask about him and people keep changing the subject."

"Well, I don't think now is the time to tell you, Ms. Dursley. In a few years' time, you will," Dumbledore replied before continuing ", I might see your cousin later on at the hospital wing when he is conscious and tell him what I told you. Care for a lemon drop."

"No thank you, Professor," Esther politely refused.

* * *

After her conversation with Dumbledore, Esther traveled to the hospital wing, with a box of Mars Bars, as well as a handmade get well card to give to Harry and as she entered, she was greeted by Madam Pomfrey.

"How is Harry?" Esther asked her.

"He is unconscious for the moment, Ms. Dursley. Please make your stay short," Madam Pomfrey said, as Esther made her way to Harry's hospital bed.

"I hope you wake up soon, Harry," Esther softly said as she placed the box of Mars Bars on the table next to his bed and propped the card on the box of Mars Bars.

Esther hoped that Harry would remember everything when he regained consciousness.

* * *

Esther passed by Hermione and Ron before lunch. They were still not talking to her, though when the three of them entered the Great Hall, she saw that their expressions changed and looked at the direction they were looking at.

At the High Table, Snape was in his usual seat, though Quirrell's seat was empty.

"Oh no, Snape's got the Stone," Ron whimpered. "And he killed Quirrell."

Esther gave him a death glare and she told Ron ", No he doesn't have the Stone. If He was responsible, he be gone too. Anyway, Dumbledore told me otherwise."

Hermione and Ron gave Esther a confused look as she left for the Slytherin table.

"I reckon she knows something we don't know. Why did Dumbledore talk to her and not us?" said Ron confused.

"She is Harry's cousin, so it would be natural for Dumbledore to send for her," said Hermione.

* * *

Over the next three days, word spread like wildfire that Harry saved the school. Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and Gryffindors seemed to forget that they were angry at Harry for losing 150 points from Gryffindor and Harry was given gifts from the other students.

While Harry was unconscious, Gryffindor lost to Ravenclaw during the Quidditch match and on the third day that Harry was unconscious, the results for who won the House Cup came out and Slytherin won. Esther was hardly gleeful.

During breakfast, Esther was approached by Professor McGonagall, who told her that Harry was conscious and will be accepting visitors.

Esther made the plan to visit Harry after breakfast. Draco wanted to tag along, but Esther knew his motives and told him 'no'.

As Esther approached the hospital wing, she heard Ron say ", Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right. Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-term feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course. I bet Esther is happy – you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrolled by Ravenclaw without you – but the food'll be good."

Madam Pomfrey told Ron and Hermione to leave and Esther was soon face to face with Hermione and Ron.

Both of them looked like they did not know what to say, though Hermione was the first one who spoke.

"I want to apologise for doubting you. You were right all this time. It was Quirrell, not Snape. We did base our accusation on the fact that Snape hates Harry," said Hermione apologetically.

"We look stupid now. We should have took your suggestion and tried to investigate further rather then basing our suspicions on fragments of conversations. How did you know that Quirrell was up to no good?" said Ron, who looked embarrassed.

"I knew it was odd that Quirrell was the only witness to see that troll entering Hogwarts," said Esther.

"How did you know that Snape was not the guilty party all this time? His disposition tricked us," Hermione said.

"As you said Hermione before you joined Harry and Ron's accusation, Snape may not be nice but he would not try and steal something. Unlike you, Harry, and Ron, I do not have beef with him, so I saw things logically. I read somewhere that people can look deceiving to the eye," said Esther. "As for Quirrell not moving his lips when he tried to kill Harry, curses can be done non-verbally as well."

"Out you two! No dawding," Madam Pomfrey told Hermione and Ron.

"We'll see you later," Hermione told Esther as Hermione and Ron left.

"May I see Harry?" Esther asked Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes, but only for five minutes," she replied. "He needs his rest."

Esther nodded as she entered the hospital wing. Harry sat up as his cousin came to his bedside.

"You were right. It wasn't Snape. How did you know it was Quirrell?" Harry asked her.

Esther smiled and said ", I did read somewhere that people can be deceiving to the eye and use that deceiving image to get away with things."

"Quirrell didn't seem the type, though Snape did," said Harry. "I told everything to Ron and Hermione what happened…"

"You don't need to tell me, Harry. Dumbledore told me the morning after you stopped Quirrell," said Esther.

Relieved that he didn't have to tell the story twice, Harry asked ", how are you, lately."

"Good. Draco is annoying me by telling people how bored he is. He actually wanted to accompany me when I planned to visit me. I told him 'no', as he make a show out of it," said Esther.

"So Snape would still be teaching?" Harry asked, feeling not happy about it.

"Yes, he is one of those teachers that will not go away" said Esther.

* * *

The next day, after a long day of waiting, the students filled in the Great Hall for the end-of-term feast. The Slytherins entered the Great Hall first, which was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning of the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

Esther stood up, trying to find any sign of Harry. Finally, she saw him enter the Great Hall. Everyone hushed immediately as Harry sat between Ron and Hermione at Gryffindor table.

Moments later, Dumbledore approached the podium to address the students.

"Another year gone!" said Dumbledore cheerfully. "I understand that the house cup needs placing and the points stand thus…"

Draco smirked at Harry's way. Esther hoped to wipe it off somehow.

"In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points," said Dumbledore. A somber clapping followed that announcement and Esther received stares from the others at her table seeing that she was also clapping in a somber fashion.

"In third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two points; In second, Ravenclaw with four-hundred and twenty-six points," said Dumbledore, as the Ravenclaws clapped with enthusiasm.

Then Dumbledore said the words that everyone not in Slytherin dreaded.

"And in first place, with four-hundred and seventy-two points: Slytherin house," announced Dumbledore.

The Slytherins cheered and stomped, Draco being one of them.

"Yes, yes. Well done, Slytherin, well done," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account and I have last minute points to dish out."

Nothing but a pin drop of silence came from Slytherin, though Esther perked her ears.

First – to Ronald Weasley for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points," said Dumbledore.

"Just for chess? Weasley isn't that…" Draco began in the midst of the cheering before Esther shushed him.

Second – to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points," continued Dumbledore.

Gryffindors up and down the Gryffindor table were beside themselves in cheers – They were a hundred points up.

"Third – to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly silent and Draco gave Harry a defeated look. "…for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.

"Gryffindor is now tied with us? What utter rubbish," Marcus Flint said amongst the deafening cheers.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell quiet.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from Gryffindor table. Draco looked so horrified and stunned that Esther was tempted to laugh at him.

"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin (though Esther was cheering alongside them), "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands and the Slytherin banners were replaced with the red and gold banners of Gryffindor. "Gryffindor won the house cup."

The other Slytherins reluctantly followed Esther's lead of cheering for Gryffindor's victory, though Draco was still seated, having a miserable look of defeat on his face.

* * *

Esther was satisfied when her exam results came in. She had perfect marks on all her classes. She and Hermione Granger had the best grades of the first years. Draco's grades were good, but not perfect ("I'm going to get scolded by father when I get home," Draco said miserably). Goyle was not thrown out, as he passed his exams to the surprise of everyone else. Blaise, Millicent, and Daphne received good marks on their exams.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks packed, notes were handed out, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("Pity. I will not have fun with Dudley over the summer," said Esther sadly). The students were taken to the Hogwarts Express to go home for the summer (where Hagrid gave Harry a picture book as a go-away present, the first picture being baby Harry held by his parents). At the Hogwarts Express, they talked, laughed, and ate Bertie Bott's Every flavor beans.

Esther changed into one of her trademark dresses before the train arrived at King's Cross station. They had to leave by three or twos as not to attract attention.

Harry was saying good bye to his friends when he was interrupted by Vernon.

"Ready are you?" Vernon asked him.

Vernon looked purple-faced, as if he didn't like the sight of someone carrying a cage of owls in a station of ordinary people. Petunia's face lit up at the sight of her daughter.

"Oh, Estie dear," Petunia said as she hugged her.

Esther and Harry said their last good byes to Ron and Hermione before following Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley to the Dursley's for the ride home.

"Freaks. The lot of them," Vernon muttered as he entered the driver's seat. Dudley, still terrified of Harry, sat next to Esther on the ride home to Privet drive. Harry was silent the entire ride to the Dursley's, though he heard Petunia and Vernon ask Esther about her term.

"Everything went ship-shape for you?" asked Vernon.

Esther nodded and said ", yes, daddy."

Once they got to Four Privet Drive, it was ten o'clock at night. Petunia helped Esther take all of trunks and Hogwarts' materials upstairs.

"Feels good to have my Estie back home," said Petunia as she folded Esther's clothes and Hogwart's school uniforms and put them in her dresser while Esther put away her wand, books, and cauldron.

"I never stayed in a dormitory setting before, but it is different," Esther replied as she handed Petunia the laundry.

"It feels good to have my Estie and Dudders home," said Petunia. "Your daddy and I are going to take you and Dudley out to eat to celebrate the two of you being home after term."

"Thank you, mummy," said Esther. "Though I will be doing homework afterwards."

"Homework? I know it has been a long time since my sister attended that school. Is the homework regimen still the same, just essays and reading assignments?" asked Petunia. She may have hated everything about wizardry, but she was curious to see if Hogwarts homework policies were the same.

"Yes, mum. We can't use magic," Esther replied.

Petunia nodded. What Harry didn't know was that Petunia _pretended_ not to know that Hogwarts students were not allowed to use magic during the summer holidays. Vernon and Dudley genuinely didn't know, but Petunia knew full well that Hogwarts students were forbidden to use magic at home, since her sister Lily Potter attended Hogwarts.

Despite Petunia's distaste for wizardry and anything related to it, she knew what the school might do if no one did their homework over the summer.

Before she, Vernon, and Dudley went to Kings Cross to pick up Esther and Harry after their first term at Hogwarts, she and Vernon talked about what to do with Harry and Esther's school materials when they got home. Vernon didn't mind if Esther kept her Hogwarts materials in her room, though he was adamant to lock Harry's books, wand, broomstick, and cauldron up when he got home.

After Petunia left the room, Esther tided everything up before she prepared her bed. It felt different to be in her own room after being in a dormitory during the school year. With Gertrude in her cage, Esther changed into her nightgown before she snuggled into the sheets.

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	23. Harry's Worst Birthday

**This jumps to the first chapter of **_**Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets**_**. I always wondered how Esther would look if she ever grew up physically instead of being the size of a child like she was in **_**Orphan. **_**Probably like a older Isabelle Fuhrman. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Not for the first time, Esther witnessed an argument that had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet drive. Vernon Dursley had awoken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from Harry's room.

"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"

Harry tried, yet again, to explain.

"She's _bored_," he said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night…"

"Do I look stupid?" snarled Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache. "I know what will happen if that owl's let out."

Esther cleared her throat to make her presence known.

"Esther, me and your cousin are just having a discussion," said Vernon.

"What I read, it is not good for animals to be kept in solitary confinement. They get rather bored and restless. It is good for owls to…" Esther began before she was interrupted by a long, loud belch coming from Dudley.

Esther scowled at his direction. She wished (if she were able to), to Scourgify Dudley like she did to Draco in her first year.

"I want my bacon."

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Petunia, turning misty eyes to her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance…I don't like the sound of that school food…"

Esther mentally snorted. In her mind, Dudley was so huge that he did not need any more food. She was glad that Dudley did not go to Hogwarts, as he'd be pigging out at meals. In her opinion, he out-pigs Crabbe and Goyle when it comes to meal time.

"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry while _I _was at Smeltings," said Vernon heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you son?"

Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to Harry.

"Pass the frying pan."

"You've forgotten the magic word," said Harry irritably.

The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair in a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Petunia gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Vernon jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples; Esther buried her face in her hands, wishing she spoke before Harry could.

"I meant 'please'!" said Harry quickly. "I didn't mean…"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered Vernon, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"

"But I…" Harry began before Vernon cut him off.

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.

"I just…" said Harry and Vernon cut him off again.

"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

Esther grew silent as she sipped milk from her glass. She dimly noticed that her mum was heaving Dudley to his feet.

"All right," said Harry. "_All right_…"

Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes.

It was all silent for a few minutes before Esther asked, to make her presence known ", dad, may you please pass the biscuits."

"Oh. Sorry, Esther dear" Vernon said, as he passed the plate of biscuits to her. "Forgive myself. Your cousin is being untrustworthy lately."

After taking a biscuit from the plate, Esther asked, "Am I abnormal?"

"Of course not, dear. You are just gifted," said Petunia, wondering why her Estie would ask such a thing.

"You are different, that is for sure, but you are not abnormal like your cousin here," said Vernon. "As your mother says, you're just gifted."

Esther disliked the hypocrisy that her adoptive parents displayed. The instant Harry arrived back at Four Privet Drive, Vernon locked all his spell books, his wand, robes, cauldron, and his prized broomstick in the cupboard, while Esther's spell books, her wand, robes, and cauldron were in her room, her wand concealed in her desk drawer, her homework sitting on her desk, her spell books in her bookshelf, her robes folded neatly in her dresser and her cauldron sitting in her closet. Not to mention Esther's owl Gertrude was free to fly to and from Esther's room as she pleased while Hedwig was padlocked in her cage in Harry's room. Harry even took the risk of asking Vernon why.

"It's because she is smart enough not to flaunt that unlike you. We never knew when your aunt and I adopted her either. Don't ask any more questions!" snapped Vernon one day.

Esther's thoughts were interrupted when Vernon spoke.

Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said ", Now as we all know, today is a very important day."

Esther and Harry stopped eating their breakfast, their ears perking to what Vernon has to say. Harry looked surprised, like he thought he would hear something important

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Vernon.

Esther knew what he meant. It was that dinner party that Vernon was talking about. He'd been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him. What made Esther bitterer about the subject was that Harry's twelfth birthday was on the same day, which was today. The present which she bought for him (which was a few crossword puzzles) were sitting in her closet, waiting to be given to him. Even after her revelation of being a witch, Petunia and Vernon treated her no different and Esther's twelfth birthday was treated like a special occasion as always. The only thing Harry, Esther, and the Dursley's didn't know, was that Esther's father was the very man who killed Harry's parents that Halloween night.

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be…?"

"In the lounge," said Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."

"Good, good. And Esther?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door," said Esther, pouting innocently, though she was inwardly thinking _are parties supposed to be full of surprises?_

"Excellent. And Dudley?"

"I'll be there at the door as well," said Dudley, with a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

"They'll _love _them," cried Petunia rapturously, placing a kiss on Esther's curls.

"Excellent, Dudley," said Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry. "And _you_?"

"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said Harry tonelessly

"Exactly," said Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight fifteen…"

_This is getting ridiculous_, Esther thought to herself. Something was bound to happen. Nothing ever turns out according to plan.

"I'll announce dinner," said Petunia.

"And Dudley, you'll say…"

"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffled Petunia.

"And Esther, you'll say…"

"May I take serve you some refreshments after dinner?" Esther offered to invisible people.

"Such a refined young lady!" Petunia sniffled as well.

"And _you_?" Vernon viciously said to Harry.

"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," said Harry dully.

"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"

"Vernon tells me you're a _wonderful_ golfer, Mr. Mason…_Do _tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason…" said Petunia.

"Perfect…Esther?"

"Oh, Mrs. Mason, please tell me where you got your purse…Do tell me who does your hair," Esther said, feeling stupid.

"Excellent…Dudley?"

"How about – 'We had to write a essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and _I _wrote about _you_," said Dudley.

Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son. Esther covered her mouth to hide her snigger while Harry hid his face under the table so Petunia and Vernon will not see him laugh.

"And you, boy?"

Harry fought to keep his face straight as he emerged.

"I'll be in my bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there," he said.

"Too right, you will," Vernon said forcefully. "The Masons do not know anything about you and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. We'll be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."

As much as Esther liked going to Majorca, she didn't think the best thing was to get their hopes up for a vacation home.

"Right – I'm off to town to pick up dinner jackets for Dudley and me. "And _you_," he snarled at Harry. "You stay out of your aunt's way while she's cleaning."

As Harry left through the backdoor, Esther was about to leave the kitchen when Vernon spoke to her.

"Um. Esther. If the Masons ask you what school you go to," Vernon said, rather uncomfortably, "Don't use the name of that…school that you go, that we don't want mention of. Tell them you go to Perkins."

"Yes, daddy," said Esther, knowing that Vernon would blow a gasket if she even mentioned Hogwarts.

"That's my girl. Now – go and help your mum to get ready for the Masons or better yet, go outside and keep a eye on Harry. I do not trust him outside alone," said Vernon.

As Vernon left the house, Esther returned to the kitchen, where Petunia was cleaning the counters. "Um, mum. Would it be okay if I go outside? It is rather nice out," said Esther.

"Yes, Estie, dear," said Petunia.

Esther smiled as she proceeded to leave the kitchen, picking up her shoes as she made sure she didn't show signs of her changing body.

Over the summer, Esther noticed that her body was changing. Her waist was starting to curve as well as other changes of her body. Harry's body was changing as well, which was obvious as his voice was starting to break through. Embarrassed, Esther made sure her old fashioned dresses hid any development she was developing.

As Esther went out the back door, she saw Harry sitting lonely at a bench.

"Happy birthday, Harry," Esther called out.

Harry turned to her direction and smiled.

"Seems you are the only one who cares," said Harry.

"That is not true, Harry," said Esther before the thought came to her ", have you received any notes from Hermione and Ron?"

"No. I haven't all summer," said Harry.

"They've been writing to me, asking if you were ok…" began Esther before Petunia called from the house.

"Estie! Come inside and help mummy prepare for the Masons," called Petunia from inside.

* * *

Esther was busy cleaning the inside of the microwave when she heard Dudley cry out.

"MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping as he ran into the house. "Muuuum! He's doing you know what!"

Petunia looked as if she swallowed a lemon while Esther scowled at Dudley.

Esther knew that Harry paid dearly for his fun. Since Dudley was ever hurt, Petunia knew that Harry really hadn't done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with a soapy frying pan. Then she gave him work to do, with the promise he wouldn't eat again until he'd finished.

"Don't worry, Estie. It's just discipline," Petunia told Esther after Harry went outside to work. "The afternoon will go by fast."

_For adults maybe_, Esther thought miserably.

While Dudley lolled around in the house, eating ice cream, Esther helped Petunia clean the house: She vacuumed the living room floor, put polishing oil on the dining room table, washed the inside of the windows, and mopped the floor before paying attention to the second floor. Having read about cleaning charms, Esther wished that she was allowed to use magic to make the process quicker, but she knew for one, her mummy and daddy did not tolerate the mention of usage of magic and two, she was not allowed to anyway, as she would receive a notice from the Ministry of Magic.

After lunch, Esther was free to go to her room, Gertrude perched on the sill of her bedroom window. She could hear Hedwig rattling in her cage next to Harry's room.

Esther shook her head as she approached her desk. She still had to do that assignment that Professor Snape assigned for the summer. It was halfway finished, though Esther knew she should finish it before term started. She hoped to pass the summer assignments. She hoped Draco finished his assignments, as she was tired of seeing his Eagle owl coming to her house, with letters, asking for advice how to answer certain questions on his homework. The idea of the school bully asking how to do well on a assignment baffled her. Then again, she knew that Draco likes to cheat.

The thought of Slytherin house entered her mind while Draco crossed her mind. There were times she felt like she was misplaced, that the sorting hat made a mistake. She just didn't fit in with the rest of them. Unlike Draco, Esther was never really popular with the Slytherins (Not like she cared), she was either invisible to them or they treated her with coolness and cockiness. All of them knew that she lived in the same house as Harry Potter, a Gryffindor. They didn't react in the positive or the negative either. Despite her abhorrence of Slytherin house, Esther preferred the company of Daphne Greengrass, Millicent Bulstrode, and Blaise Zabani, as they never acted like they owned the school like Draco Malfoy and his lackeys.

Thoughts aside, Esther looked at the mound of notes at her desk. She picked them up and sifted through them.

She saw a few from her fellow Slytherins and some from Ron and Hermione, all labeled, OPEN FIRST or GIVE THIS TO HARRY. They were still worried. She wished that they knew that Harry was not allowed to owl his friends, despite the fact that she lied and told them that he was sick. Not that she wanted to, but she felt like they had no choice.

Esther first opened the one from Draco, wondering what he could possibly want.

It was short and attached, was an article of the _Daily Prophet_.

_I know you live with muggles and all, but I think they are given enough protection as it is. To top it off, I think this regulation imposed by Weasley's father will go too far. Father bought a few copies of the __**Daily Prophet**__ so I could owl this to everyone in Slytherin house. Hope you read this to understand what I am talking about. _

_Draco Malfoy_.

Esther grabbed the piece of paper attached to the letter and read it.

**MUGGLE PROTECTION ACT ENFORCED**

_Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic will be pleased to say that a new law protecting muggles is enforced. Even though the threat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone for good, there are still worries that muggles are under threat of pureblood supremacists. The new law's proponent, Mr. Arthur Weasley, spoke today in his home which he shares with his family. "It is our job to protect the vulnerable from the worst of our kind. Sure, they have weapons to protect themselves, but that can't always be assured since dark magic would overpower them". Some people, however, feel like this new law will unfairly go after purebloods, considering that You-Know-Who's Death Eaters were mainly composed of them. "This is preposterous," said Lucius Malfoy from his mansion in Wiltshire, England. "Weasley's going to take this law way too far and go after individuals who genuinely refrained from the Dark Arts, as well as loyalty to the Dark Lord." The raids to confiscate enchanted muggle objects would go under way soon. _

Esther knew why Draco was in a dither over this, not that she cared. She always felt that Draco was a snot-faced bigot who thought that purebloods were better than everyone else.

Esther looked at the clock by her nightstand. She still had time before she should get ready for the Masons arrival. Esther took the cap from her ink bottle and dipped the quill tip in the ink to continue that Potions assignment.

* * *

Ten minutes after seven, Esther put away her homework and proceeded to her closet. The week before, Petunia bought a pastel pink dress with a pink satin sash for Esther to wear at the dinner party. It wasn't bad but it wasn't what Esther wanted to wear.

With a sigh, she pulled the dress from her closet, as she knew she had to wear it whether she liked it or not. It took ten minutes to get ready before she descended the stairs. Vernon was helping Dudley put on his bow tie, as Esther passed the living room to go to the kitchen. The night's pudding was sitting on the counter and a loin of roast was sizzling in the oven.

"Oh. My Estie looks so grown up," sniffled Petunia catching the sight of her daughter. "Prepare the refreshments and Harry's lunch."

After Esther prepared the refreshment dishes of scones, ham, crackers, and cheese, Esther was about to put a serving of the leftovers from today (the green bean casserole that Petunia made) on Harry's plate, when Petunia stopped her.

"No, dear. He needs something quick," said Petunia. "Bread and cheese would do."

Esther heaved a sigh as she put two slices of bread and a mound of cheese on his plate. The dinner did look pitiful.

It was half after seven when Petunia called Harry in from outside. Esther went to the living room where Vernon and Dudley were already in their dinner jackets. When Harry left to go to the stairs, Vernon warned ", Remember, boy – one sound…"

Harry nodded before he went up the stairs and Vernon turned to Esther. "Remember, Esther. One mention of…that magician school and I'll cut half of your allowance for a month."

Esther nodded as the doorbell rang.

* * *

**R & R.**


	24. The Dinner Party Gone Wrong

**This is my interpretation of how the dinner party went (as Harry was in his bedroom, where Dobby was visiting him). I hope I nail it.**

* * *

As soon as the doorbell rang, Esther rushed to the door and opened it. Mr. Mason was tall man, with balding grey hair, his wife plump with curly grey hair.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mason," greeted Vernon enthusiastically, as Esther heard Harry enter his bedroom.

"Good evening, Mr. Dursley," Mr. Mason greeted.

"May I take your coats Mr. and Mrs. Mason?" Dudley offered.

"Why, yes. Thank you," Mr. Mason told Dudley as he and his wife took their coats off and gave them to Dudley, who hung them up by the door.

Vernon lead Mr. and Mrs. Mason to the lounge and began the rehearsed routine. "This is my wife, Petunia," Vernon gestured to his wife as Petunia greeted Mrs. Mason before Vernon gestured to Dudley and Esther, "this is my son Dudley and our daughter Esther, who we adopted three years ago."

Esther and Dudley gave innocent smiles, though Esther's smile was genuine unlike Dudley's.

"Your children are polite, Petunia," complimented Mrs. Mason. "They seem well behaved unlike most children their age."

Petunia gave out a high, false laugh. "Oh, thank you, Mrs. Mason," said Petunia. "Esther and Dudley are polite as can be."

"Let's sit down and have some drinks before dinner, shall we?" Vernon offered. Petunia went off to the kitchen to get sparkling wine for their guests while Esther and Dudley entered the dining room to set the table with Petunia's special China-set, one that Petunia and Lily's mother gave to her after she died.

Esther thought she heard some sobbing from Harry's room, and Vernon stopped his small talk with Mr. Mason as a result.

After a while, Vernon just shrugged and said, "Just the neighbor kids. Tykes these days."

Petunia bought in the wine and went back to the kitchen to look after the roast that was sizzling in the oven. Esther noticed Dudley looking longing at their mum's masterpiece pudding.

"Soon, Dudley," muttered Esther, knowing how she was going to sneak a slice of the pudding to Harry after the dinner party was over. As she helped her mum put the mash potatoes on a platter, filled a cup with gravy, as well prepare the vegetables, Esther looked at the nighttime sky from the window. In a matter of time, a her school list for her second year at Hogwarts would come and she was wondering how to go to Diagon Alley, since the Dursley's didn't want to mix in with freaks and other abnormals. Dumbledore would probably send a faculty member to accompany her. Most likely Professor Snape, since he is her head of house, though she doubted that her mum and dad would take kindly to the Potions Master at their doorstep.

At eight fifteen, the roast loin was ready and Petunia announced dinner.

"May I take you through the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" asked Dudley.

"Such a gentleman," Mrs. Mason complemented as she took his fat arm.

As Esther and Petunia set the table with the dinner that Petunia planned, they heard a banging noise from upstairs.

"That is the cat," explained Vernon, though he knew full well (or what he thought) what was causing that noise.

Esther sighed in relief, knowing that Harry would not get into trouble. She was hoping that he be lucky if he made it through the dinner party without making any noise, but luck tended to ignore him.

Esther took her accustomed seat next to Dudley and after everyone was seated, everyone served themselves, though the Masons served themselves first as being guests.

"You keep such a clean home," Mrs. Mason complimented while Esther was serving herself some mash potatoes. "Who cleans your house?"

Petunia paused for a moment, as she never expected that question. Though she prepared what to say and how to answer, a small part of her wished that Vernon never scheduled how the party should go.

"I have a maid that comes over once a day to clean the house," Petunia lied, trying to find a answer.

Esther drowned out the conversations as she filled her plate and cut her piece of roast loin into small pieces. As Vernon expected, the question of school came up.

"Where do you go to school, Esther?" Mrs. Mason asked.

Esther paused, her words stuck in her mouth before glancing at Vernon.

"Perkins. I go to Perkins school for girls," said Esther before taking a tiny bit of her roast. Had she said 'Hogwarts' and Vernon would blow a gasket.

"Such a prestigious school," Mrs. Mason complimented.

Mr. Mason asked Dudley about what school he went to. Dudley proudly said "Smeltings" before Vernon decided to entertain the Masons with a joke.

Esther drowned out the joke, as she deemed it a bit offensive. She preoccupied her mind with her homework: Her Potions assignment was finished, her Charms essay was complete, her Transfiguration worksheet was halfway finished. She was thinking about when she would complete her Herbology paper when they heard earsplitting yelps and someone hitting themselves with a lamp.

Before Vernon could speak, Esther got up and said ", excuse me. I need to make sure that Dudley's television is off."

"Oh. Of course. Go ahead," Vernon encouraged as Esther left the dining room.

"He always leaves the television on. Not that I know why," Esther lied as she went up the stairs to Harry's room. She heard Harry struggle to hide something before he closed his dresser drawer and Esther opened the door.

"Harry, you are going to put daddy in a dither. What is going on?" asked Esther confused.

"Well, I'll tell you later. It's hard to explain at the moment," said Harry.

"Be quiet Harry. Please, or daddy would come up himself," Esther softly warned before she left the room. "You and I don't want that to happen."

She lingered long enough to hear Harry open the dresser drawer and she headed downstairs.

She returned to the dining room table and smiled as she took her seat. "Sorry about that. Dudley can turn the volume up on his television loud sometimes," Esther explained before turning to her dinner.

Esther once again drowned out the conversation as she thought about what she heard from Harry's room. Who was he talking to and what was he trying to hide? What was that noise earlier?

Everyone was almost finished with their dinner and it was almost time for Petunia's pudding to be served, which Dudley was eager to eat…

As a matter of fact, Esther thought she saw the pudding float in the kitchen from the corner of her eye.

Wanting to investigate why, Esther asked Petunia ", mummy, is it time to get the desert dishes?"

"Yes, Estie, dear," Petunia encouraged.

Esther walked into the kitchen and she stopped in her tracks. She saw a odd looking creature on the top of the cupboards. As it locked eyes with her, the pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, the creature was gone.

There were screams from the dining room and Vernon burst into the kitchen to find both Esther and Harry, rigid with shock, both of them covered from head to foot in Petunia's pudding.

Vernon spent some seconds to decide who the culprit must have been and he came to the conclusion that it must be Harry, since he thought it was out-of-character for Esther to destroy one of her mum's edible creations.

At first, it looked as though Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over. ("Just our nephew – very disturbed – meeting strangers upsets him, so we kept him upstairs…") he shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised Harry he would flay him within a inch of his life when the Masons left, and handed him a mop. Petunia told Esther to wash herself up before she dug some ice cream out of the freezer.

After Esther washed herself off and while she slipped on her nightgown, she heard Mrs. Mason scream like a banshee and Esther ran downstairs to investigate, nearly tripping herself. She managed to see Mrs. Mason run from the house, screaming about lunatics. Mr. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.

Esther knew she shouldn't be smirking, but she thought it was ridiculous that someone would be afraid of birds.

Esther saw Vernon rounding on Harry, clutching a note and she ran for the hills to the second floor to avoid what will come next. A minute later, she heard Vernon laugh like a maniac as he dragged Harry up the stairs where he proceeded to lock him in his bedroom. The next day, bars were screwed to his window and a catflap was added to his door.

After it all took place, Esther thought _this is a house, not a prison_.

* * *

On the morning of Harry's second day in his confinement, Gertrude came to Esther's bedroom window with a letter in her beak.

She gently removed the letter from the owl's beak and looked at the envelope. A new note from Hogwarts concerning the next school year. Esther broke the seal and took the piece of parchment from the envelope.

_Second year students will require:_

_**The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 **__by Miranda Goshawk_

_**Break with a Banshee **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Gadding with Ghouls **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Holidays with Hags **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Travels with Trolls **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Voyages with Vampires **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Wanderings with Werewolves **__by Gilderoy Lockhart_

_**Year with the Yeti**__ by Gilderoy Lockhart._

"Gilderoy Lockhart. Does he have blond hair to match his name?" Esther said to herself when a piece of parchment fell from her school list. Esther picked it up and read it…

_Dear Ms. Dursley,_

_ I usually do not write letters to second year students, though I must inform you that in two or three days' time, Professor Snape will come and accompany you and Mr. Potter to get your supplies from Diagon Alley, as your legal guardians seem unwilling to do so. _

_ Looking forward to teaching you in your second year,_

_ Professor McGonagall. _

"Harry will love that," Esther said to herself sarcastically. She knew of the mutual disdain and hostility Snape and Harry had for each other. She could just imagine Snape staring Harry down while he took the two of them to Diagon Alley. She wondered how to approach the topic with her mum and dad over breakfast.

"Estie. Breakfast is ready," Petunia called from the kitchen.

* * *

It was quiet at breakfast time. No one did their usual chatter, which was not common among the Dursley's.

Hoping to break the silence, Esther spoke up.

"Mummy. Dad. I have to tell you something, relating to a topic that you abhor the most," said Esther.

Vernon and Petunia stopped eating and looked at Esther, bewildered why she would bring up something like that at breakfast.

"Dudley, go to Harry's room and put his breakfast through the cat flap," Petunia prompted, trying to get her son out of the room.

"But mum…" Dudley argued.

"Dudders. Please, for mummy," said Petunia.

"Fine," groaned Dudley as he headed towards Harry's plate at the counter and took it with him upstairs.

"Why bring this up?" asked Vernon. "Did Harry do something again?"

"Well, no, daddy," Esther told Vernon before telling Petunia. "I got the new school list and a letter attached to it, informing me that in two days, Professor Severus Snape is going to take Harry and me to get our books for the second year."

The mere mention of Snape's name had a surprising effect on Petunia. She looked as if she swallowed a lemon.

"He is teaching at that school now?" asked Petunia.

"Yes, mummy," answered Esther innocently. "Do you know him?"

Petunia regained composure and replied ", well, he was best friends with Lily when they first went to…that school. He was the one that bought her into that frea…I'm sorry, Estie, different stuff."

When Lily cut her ties off with Snape after an incident with him during her fifth year, Petunia thought that her days of hiding in her room when he came over were over. Starting from Lily's first year to her fourth, Snape would come to the Evans home every day in the summer to do homework with Lily. As their friendship became strained, Snape came over less and less until he stopped coming all together. Now in two days, Petunia will see him again. She knew he must be in his thirties by now.

"Professor Snape was friends with Harry's mother? He never said so," Esther pointed out.

"He was. Why didn't he say anything to you?" asked Petunia.

Esther looked down and answered ", He and Harry detest each other."

"Well, I hope this teacher is making the boy's stay at that school miserable," laughed Vernon.

Esther inwardly scowled. In her mind, that was no laughing manner.

Petunia knew one thing: When Snape would show up at her doorstep, she hoped that she herself would answer the door. Petunia may have hated Snape, though she knew how to talk to him and deal with him, unlike Vernon, who'd yell and spit in Snape's face before slamming the door shut on him.

* * *

On the third day of Harry's confinement, Esther saw no sign of relenting from her parents. He was still locked in his room, the bars on his window, only allowed to be out twice for the bathroom.

Esther knew that he couldn't magic himself out of there or he would be expelled.

At dinner, Esther was sent to put Harry's dinner through the cat flap. Petunia wanted to give him canned soup, but Esther, used her charm and smile to ask Petunia if Harry could have what they were having instead: Chili con Carne and key lime pie as dessert (as well as bread for Hedwig).

Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, wolfed down the contents of the bowl, despite that his tongue got burned in the process and he saved the pie for last.

When night rolled around, Esther laid in bed, awake, thinking how she was going to convince her parents to release Harry from the confinement in his room.

Esther was about to fall asleep when she heard rattling on the bars.

* * *

**Cliffie here! **


	25. Flourish and Blotts

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Esther sat up in her bed, still hearing the bars rattling from the window in Harry's room. She also thought she heard a car engine and her thoughts were confirmed when she saw a front engine of a old car, floating in the air.

Soon, Esther thought that she heard Harry talking to Ron and his eldest twin brothers, Fred and George. What were they doing here? Esther knew this was no dream, because of the car engine running in midair outside.

In a few moments, she heard the bars get pulled off Harry's window.

Seconds later, she heard someone clambering into Harry's window and the sound of lock-picking before Harry's door opened, followed by Harry's footsteps down the stairs.

Esther returned to her bed, and crawled into her covers, hoping that Harry would get out safely until she heard the thunder of Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!" she heard Harry from the next room. Esther heard Vernon hurry to Harry's room and the door slammed opened.

It was like two people were trying to yank Harry from each other when Vernon roared, "Petunia! He's getting away! HE'S GETTING AWAY!"

She heard a pair or running footsteps followed by the slamming of a door from Dudley's room when she heard a thump on Harry's bedroom floor. A few minutes later, the floating car passed her window and soon ascended into the sky.

Silence reigned in Harry's room before Vernon muttered ", Freaks. There is nothing that will prevent the boy from attending that school! Nothing!"

"Now, Vernon, go to bed. You have work tomorrow," said Petunia.

Three of the Dursley's left Harry's room, Vernon muttering how he thinks the world is coming to an end with the inclusion of freaks and abnormals.

Esther saw the door to her room open and she slumped into her covers, to give the illusion she was sleeping. The door opened and after a few seconds, she heard her mum sigh in relief, as Petunia thought that her Estie went along with Harry to leave in that…Petunia didn't want to think about it, though she felt it was getting somewhat tiring to keep the furious pretense that there is no otherworld besides the world she shared with Vernon and her son Dudley.

Especially if she had a witch and wizard under her roof.

Petunia closed Esther's bedroom door and Esther began her night of sleep.

* * *

Breakfast was quiet in 4 Privet Drive. Esther knew that Vernon would be in a bad mood, and she knew it would not be wise to mention anything about 'Hogwarts' and her school work. Even Dudley and Petunia didn't dare say a word, as Vernon woke up in a bad mood. Say anything and he'd jump.

After Esther finished her breakfast, she put her dish and cup in the sink when the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be at this hour?" said Vernon. He was about to get up when Petunia spoke.

"I'll get it, dear," said Petunia as she left her chair and headed to the window in the living room to see who was waiting at the door.

Though it has been a long time Petunia seen Snape, she vaguely recognized him, mainly because he looked older then he was, like he was fifty instead of thirty.

Petunia opened the door, seeing the veiled expression on hostility on Snape's face.

"Pleasure to see you again, Petunia," said Snape in his monotone voice.

"I can't say the same to you," answered Petunia, embarrassed about the idea of a wizard on her doorstep. In Petunia's mind, if Lily never met Snape, she still would be alive.

"How can I help you?" asked Petunia stiffly.

"Is Miss Dursley here?" asked Snape. "Dumbledore has told me that Potter…has relocated to somewhere else."

"Yes, she is," Esther heard Petunia say at the door before Petunia called out ", Esther! Professor Snape is here."

Esther left the kitchen and arrived at the door, standing behind Petunia.

"Hello, Professor," greeted Esther.

"Good morning, Ms. Dursley," said Snape formally, as if term already started. "Go and get your list before we leave."

Esther ran up the stairs to her room and looked through her desk drawer before she grabbed her Hogwarts list. She made sure twice that it was the right one before taking her purse and her black school cloak with the Slytherin crest at the chest. She folded the thin cloak in her purse, not wanting to be caught dead in it at a muggle suburb.

Esther came back downstairs, with everything she needed.

"I do not know how long it will be before she'll come home, but I may inform you that a friend's parents might take her home," Snape informed Petunia. "Muggle-borns to be exact."

Esther said her good-byes to Petunia before leaving the house.

"Who was that, Petunia?" asked Vernon as she sat back down at the kitchen table.

"The teacher that Esther said might come to take her to get her school books," answered Petunia. "The one that hates Harry."

"Why didn't you tell him to come in? I would have given good suggestions on how to make that boy's term miserable at that freak school," said Vernon.

* * *

"I'm sure you noticed that the school booklist has works by mostly one author," said Snape as he and Esther sat at the train to London.

"Who is Gilderoy Lockhart, anyway?" asked Esther.

Snape's face turned into a nasty shade of green. Throughout the summer before the 1992-1993 school year, Snape was anxious to see who would get teach Defense Against the Dark Arts that school year. Snape hoped Dumbledore would relent and have him teach that course, as Snape wanted that post. However, Snape always wished that his former master never jinxed the post, though Snape would rather have something bad to him than face another year with Potter as a student. Though Harry reminded Snape so much of James Potter, Snape tried his hardest to think of Lily when he would see Harry's eyes, though the boy looked too much like James and it made it hard for Snape to think of Lily.

On topic of Gilderoy Lockhart, Snape nearly vomited when he learned that Gilderoy Lockhart would take the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts. That blond idiot signed on immediately when offered the job. Snape thought he had enough of him at school. Why Lockhart made it into Ravenclaw baffled him. In Snape's mind, Lockhart was an imbecile and a compulsive liar. Lucius Malfoy told him once that he had the misfortune of seeing Gilderoy Lockhart at a dinner party for Ministry of Magic higher-ups and other important people.

"You'll find out later," said Snape.

Esther never asked anymore after that.

After the train stopped at London, Esther and Snape walked down the street which led to the Leaky Cauldron. Unlike Hagrid, Snape did not look curiously at his surroundings, like the structure of the muggle buildings were familiar. Esther wondered if he grew up in a muggle setting before he was a student at Hogwarts.

Snape and Esther passed into the Leaky Cauldron (where she slipped on her school cloak) before entering the archway into Diagon Alley.

"Might as well go to Gringotts first, so you could have extra Galleons in case you catch sight of your friends from Gryffindor," muttered Snape.

"Aah. Severus," Esther heard a unfamiliar male voice call out.

She turned to see a grown man, his platinum blond hair long and slicked back. He was swathed in fancy wizards' robes and in his hand, was a tall walking stick, the head an emerald eyed snake with its mouth open. Standing alongside him was Draco, who looked stoic as he held a black box. Esther could tell that the man with Draco was his father, as they bared the same facial features and had the pale blue eyes.

"Good day, Lucius," Snape greeted Draco's father, like he knew him. Esther followed Snape as he approached to shake hands with Lucius.

After they shook hands, Lucius looked at Esther for a brief moment before saying to Snape, "Looks like you are accompanying a student to buy her textbooks."

"Yes. After I accompany Ms. Dursley to buy the materials from her booklist, I have to stop at the apothecary to buy some ingredients for my store room," Snape drawled.

Lucius turned his eyes to Esther.

"So, you must be Esther Dursley. Draco has told me all about you," said Lucius. "You live with muggles?"

Esther paused before saying ", yes."

"Poor thing. That happens to the best of Slytherins sometimes," said Lucius. "On the other hand, I knew someone that had a daughter with the same name as you. She would be your age."

For some reason, Esther felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The way he looked at her too, was like he knew her since she was an infant.

"I'll see you when I get the chance, Severus," said Lucius. "I have to make a few errands before I accompany my son to get his books. It is a shame that most of the book list is full of books by that blond idiot. You have my sympathies, Severus, as it would be a nightmare to spend the entire term with that imbecile."

"May I accompany Professor Snape and Dursley?" asked Draco. "I don't want to go on that errand."

"You are going and that's that," said Lucius.

Draco instantly backed down. Esther could tell that Lucius was not a man to cross.

"Good day, Severus," Lucius drawled before beckoning his son to leave with him.

As Esther trailed behind Snape to Gringotts, she asked ", do you know him?"

"Yes. He was a Prefect when I entered Hogwarts," said Snape.

"Oh," said Esther, pretending that she did not listen to the part about Gilderoy Lockhart. What was about him that Snape and his friend could not stand? She would have to find out.

Still, she felt the skeevies at Lucius Malfoy's comment to her.

The trip to Gringotts was the same as last year and she left the bank with two velvet bags of Galleons in her purse.

As she and Snape crossed to Flourish and Blotts, Snape scowled.

"Merlin! They can't be bluffing," muttered Snape, looking at the banner

GILDEROY LOCKHART

Will be signing copies of his autobiography

_MAGICAL ME_

Today 12: 30 P.M to 4:30 P.M

"It's only nine in the morning," muttered Snape before turning to Esther. "Might as well get your books before the shop gets filled up with old women."

Inside Flourish and Blotts, the shop owners were setting up for the book signing and she caught a blond haired man in blue robes talking to the reporters of the Daily Prophet.

It took no problem for Esther to get a hold of the first textbook from the list and from the corner of her eye, she saw Neville enter with few of the boys from Gryffindor.

Esther was on her way to the _magical achievements _section when the blond haired wizard spoke to her.

"You need some assistance?" he asked.

"No, thank you, sir. I can find my textbooks myself," said Esther politely.

"No. You must be looking for my autobiography _Magical Me_. You are a Hogwarts student correct?" asked the wizard, looking at the emblem on her cloak.

"Yes, but…" Esther began before Gilderoy Lockhart cut her off.

"Oh, so you are buying the books on the school list. No worry, I'll help you with that," said Gilderoy.

He went over to the book signing stand and came back with a stack of books.

"I'll give you my entire collective works free of charge," said Gilderoy, giving her the books from the Hogwarts school list. "Consider that a Hogwarts school discount."

_He's so full of himself_, Esther thought as she headed to pay for her books. Snape was nowhere to be found, considering he saw Neville Longbottom and a few other students enter.

"Had a nice summer?" Esther asked Neville as she approached him, carrying her packages.

"Yes, except for the homework," said Neville, as Esther saw that from the corner of her eye, she saw two seventh year Slytherins, Marcus Flint and another girl that she didn't know, enter the book store.

"Dursley. Were you assigned Gilderoy Lockhart books?" asked Marcus Flint.

"Yes. It is most of the second year school list," answered Esther.

"Bloody hell," muttered Marcus before turning to the girl next to him ", Let's make it quick before that bloody book signing starts."

As Marcus Flint and his female companion ventured deep into the store and from the window, Esther saw the Weasleys and they acted like they were looking for someone.

Esther left Flourish and Blotts, holding her packages, as she approached them.

"Are you looking for something?" Esther asked Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley smiled upon seeing her.

"Oh, Esther dear. Have you seen Harry?" asked Mrs. Weasley.

"I hadn't seen him since a few days ago," Esther answered innocently, "though I have seen the Weasley twins and Ron rescued him from home last night. I never saw him this morning. What happened?"

"We were showing him how to travel by floo powder. We thought he made it to the Leaky Cauldron, but he wasn't there," said Ron.

"We'll find him," said Mr. Weasley. "He's around here somewhere."

"Mind if I come with you?" asked Esther.

'Of course, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, her voice heavy with worry.

As they tried to find Harry, Esther told Ron of her encounter with Lucius Malfoy.

"That is creepy," commented Ron. "He could have meant anyone."

"How? It sounded like he knew me when I was born," said a confused Esther.

"Esther was number five on one of the top wizarding baby names in 1980," said Fred. "Still, it would not be wise to cross him again."

"Not if he is here today," muttered Esther.

As the Weasleys and Esther made their way through the now crowded street, they caught a glimpse of Harry, Hagrid, and Hermione.

"There he is," said Ron, pointing at them.

Mr. Weasley, Ron, Percy, Fred, George, and Esther ran to their direction through the crowded street and Esther was panting when she got there.

"Harry," Mr. Weasley panted. We _hoped _you'd only gone one grate too far…" He mopped his glistening bald spot. "Molly's frantic – she's coming now…"

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.

"_Excellent!_" said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.

"What's Knockturn Alley," Esther asked confused.

"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid, answering Fred and George.

"It's not far from here," said Mr. Weasley, answering Esther's question. "I recommend you don't go near it – full of dark stuff."

It wasn't long until Mrs. Weasley came and Hagrid left after saying good bye ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found him, Hagrid!" Molly told him with relief).

"Esther, how did you get here?" asked Harry, confused, knowing that his aunt and uncle would never step foot into Diagon Alley.

"Professor Snape accompanied me to buy my books," said Esther.

"Oh, that greasy git," said Fred. "Where is he now?"

"He had to leave. He knew I would come across you," said Esther.

As they climbed the Gringotts steps, Harry spoke. "Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes? Malfoy and his father," Harry said to Ron.

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.

"No, he was selling…" said Harry.

"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something…"

"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply as they were bowed into the bank by a goblin at the door. "That family's trouble. Don't go off biting off more than you can chew…"

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.

"But you're _muggles_!" said Mr. Weasley delightfully. "We must have a drink! What's that you got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.

"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione as the Weasleys and Harry were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin. Esther chose to stay behind with the Grangers considering the fact that she went to her vault earlier.

"Are you Harry's cousin?" Mrs. Granger asked her.

Esther nodded and said ", yes, Mrs. Granger, though Harry and I are more like siblings."

"That's good to hear," said Mrs. Granger, as Esther saw Goyle with his parents through her peripheral vision.

When the Weasleys and Harry rejoined them, Esther left Gringotts with Hermione and the Grangers.

Back outside on the marble steps, they all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were going to a secondhand robe shop ("Do you want me to give you some of my money? You don't have to pay me back," Esther offered; "That is kind of you, dear, but you might need it," said Mrs. Weasley). Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"We'll meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your schoolbooks," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. Harry had bought four large strawberry and peanut-butter ice creams with his money, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows. Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the windows of Quality Quidditch Supplies until Esther and Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door. Esther soon separated for a short while from the trio to spy on Draco, to see that he was looking at racing rooms. He looked at the poster, advertising the upcoming Nimbus 2001, until his father dragged him off.

Esther rejoined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at a junk shop, where they found Percy deeply immersed in in a small and deeply boring book called _Prefects Who Gained Power_.

"_A study of Hogwarts prefects and their later careers_," Ron read from the back cover. "That sounds _fascinating_."

"Go away," Percy snapped.

"'Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out…He wants to be Minister of Magic…" Ron told Harry, Hermione, and Esther in a undertone as they left Percy to it.

"Keep that up and he might be the world's biggest prat later in life," muttered Esther.

"That's not true. Percy won't be like that!" said Ron, offended.

"Just stating my opinion, Ron. That's what Draco said last term, though he said along the lines, _I wouldn't blame Percy Weasley if he left that family. I know I would_," Esther replied.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. There was a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in.

"Good grief! I can see why Snape was in a hurry to leave," Esther muttered.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up to see the banner above the sign and Hermione jumped in excitement.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist."

"Unfortunately," Esther muttered under her breath.

The crowd seemed to be made up of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying ", Calmly, please, ladies…Don't push, there…Mind the books, now…"

Esther squeezed inside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione following her. Due to the congestion on the main floor of the shop, Esther headed up the steps, to avoid the confusion. Draco Malfoy was already there, looking through books at random at the second floor.

"Hello, Draco," Esther greeted.

"Hello, Dursley," said Draco, deeply immersed in the book he was reading.

"Good thing I got my books," muttered Esther, peering at the crowd below. "This is going to be crazy."

"I'm glad, too. No one wants to be smothered by old women," Draco replied, looking at Esther. "Mum says that women who drool over him have no love lives, and father seems to agree."

"Mrs. Weasley is married," said Esther.

"Still, who would want to drool over a blond pansie?" said Draco, until they heard Gilderoy Lockhart speak quietly below.

"It can't be Harry Potter?" he said.

They saw the photographer of the Daily Prophet drag Harry to Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Nice big smile, Harry. Together you and I make the front page," he said to Harry.

After the camera flashed, Lockhart spoke to the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Lockhart announced. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for a long time. When young Harry stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography – which I shall now be happy to present him, free of charge. He had _no _idea that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book _Magical Me_. He and his schoolmates will in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

The crowd cheered and clapped as Esther watched Lockhart give him the entire collective works of Gilderoy Lockhart. She made her way down the stairs, Draco following her. As she joined the Weasley's she saw Draco looking at a book, and tear off a random page.

When Harry came out from the crowd, Draco saw him.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter," Draco said as he sneered at Harry. "Famous Harry Potter. Can't even go into a book shop without making the front page!"

"Leave him alone," Ginny said in Harry's defense.

"Potter, you've got yourself a _girlfriend_," drawled Draco until Esther saw the head of Lucius Malfoy's walking stick hit his shoulder.

Draco looked subdued as he looked at his father.

"Now, now, Draco," said Lucius as he gently pushed his son away with his walking stick. "Play nicely."

Esther tensed up as Lucius locked eyes with Harry.

"Mr. Potter," greeted Lucius.

Harry looked at him, unsure what to do.

"Lucius Malfoy," he introduced, offering his hand to Harry, who stiffly shook his hand. "We meet at last."

"Forgive me," Mr. Malfoy said as he pulled Harry forward and moved his bangs away with his walking stick to see his scar.

The whole situation made Esther uncomfortable.

"Your scar is legend," Lucius commented to Harry. "As, of course, is the wizard who gave it to you."

"Voldemort killed my parents," said Harry.

Lucius let go of Harry and pulled back, as if Harry's words were a blow to him.

"He was nothing more than a murderer," Harry continued.

"You must be very brave to mention his name," said Lucius Malfoy, with some cocky amusement on his face. "Or very foolish."

"Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," Esther heard Hermione say.

Lucius turned and looked at Hermione in response.

"And you must be Miss Granger," said Lucius.

Hermione answered with a frown.

"Yes, Draco has told me all about you. And your parents," said Lucius to Hermione.

Like Hermione, Esther looked back to see that the Grangers were talking to Mr. Weasley.

"Muggles, aren't they?" Lucius asked Hermione.

It took Esther back to what Lucius told her at her earlier encounter after she confirmed that she lived with muggles.

_Poor thing. That happens to the best of Slytherins sometimes," said Lucius_.

In Esther's mind, Lucius Malfoy thought that Muggles were inferior.

Lucius soon strayed his eyes to Ron and his siblings.

"Let me see. Red hair, vacant expressions…" said Lucius before he put his hand into Ginny's cauldron to pull out a very battered schoolbook, "…tatty, secondhand book."

Esther looked to see Mr. Weasley slowly approaching them from behind.

"You must be the Weasleys," Lucius drawled.

Mr. Weasley came by Ginny's side and spoke.

"Children. It's mad in here," Mr. Weasley told his children and Harry. "Let's go outside."

"Well, well, well. Weasley senior," Lucius drawled to Mr. Weasley.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley.

"Busy time at the Ministry, Arthur, all those extra raids," said Lucius Malfoy. "I do hope they're paying you overtime?"

Lucius gestured to Ginny's book and continued ", but judging by the state of this, I'd say not."

Esther thought that she saw him slip something into the book, but didn't know if her eyes were deceiving her.

"What's the use in being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it," Lucius asked, looking rather smug.

"We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," said Mr. Weasley, sounding offended.

"Clearly," said Lucius. "Associating with Muggles."

Lucius Malfoy stepped forward and put Ginny's textbook back in her cauldron.

"And I though your family could sink no lower," drawled Lucius.

Esther seethed at the insulting degrading remark as Mr. Weasley pursed his lips.

"I'll see you at work," Lucius said to Mr. Weasley before he left the bookshop.

Draco turned to Harry and Ron and said "I'll see you at school".

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther scowled at his back.

"No wonder where Malfoy gets his personality from," muttered Harry.

The Weasleys, Harry, Esther, Hermione, and her parents left Flourish and Blotts and traveled to the Leaky Cauldron to go home. Harry traveled with the Weasleys by floo powder while Esther went with Hermione and her parents to the muggle entrance.

* * *

It was fifteen to six when the Grangers dropped Esther off at four Privet drive. After she left the Leaky Cauldron with Hermione and her parents, Esther used a payphone to call home. It was her dad who answered and she assured him that this friend's parents were perfectly normal.

Esther waved to Hermione and her parents as she headed to number four's front door. The car drove out of sight when Petunia opened the door.

"Welcome home, Esther, dear," said Petunia as she placed a kiss on Esther's curls. "I am cooking some dinner. Your favorite: Pasta."

Esther lugged her parcels up the stairs and into her room. She hidden the Lockhart books from view and placed her other textbook on her desk.

She still had some questions for Harry, which she hoped he would answer them for her.

* * *

**Sorry if this chapter was too long. **


	26. The Missing Boys

**Enjoy!**

**As for getting to Platform 9 ¾ , I think that there is another way to get there, such as a floo powder network, as I cannot see the Malfoys and other wizarding families going to a muggle station. **

* * *

The end of summer vacation came too quickly to Esther's liking. With all her homework finished, she read her new study book, as she couldn't help but peek what she would learn in her second year.

The last week leading up to her start of term was rather uneventful, as it was in four privet drive, though Esther went after Piers Polkiss with a heavy dictionary when she caught him trying to get into her room. She didn't hit him, though she knew she'd be angry if he got a hold of her items, like her wand.

Since her wand resembled somewhat like a bone finger, she pondered scaring Dudley with it, though changed her mind, as she knew the consequences it would bring.

On her last night before term started, Petunia cooked up a scrumptious dinner that included all of Esther's favorite things, ending with a mouthwatering pink lemonade pudding. She sat at the living room, reading one of her books while Dudley glued his eyes to the television.

Before bedtime, Esther looked at the letters she received over the last week. Harry was having a good time with the Weasleys and Esther thought it was sad that Harry enjoyed the company of his friend's family then staying in four Privet drive.

She loved her parents, though she hated how they treated Harry and favoured Dudley over him.

In the next morning, Esther woke up at five-thirty to prepare for the start of term before breakfast started. Seeing that her Gilderoy Lockhart books filled up much of the space in her trunk, she put her leisure books (her classics and books like _Hogwarts, A History_) in her spare trunk.

The Dursleys left Privet drive, early enough so that Petunia wanted Esther to get to Kings Cross in time.

At half past ten, they arrived at Kings Cross, and after Esther's trunks and her owl cage were put in a car, Petunia and Vernon wished her good luck before leaving. Remembering how to get to platform nine and three quarters, Esther positioned her cart between platforms nine and ten, and carefully, without anybody noticing, went through the barriers.

When Esther got to the platform, it was starting to fill with families seeing their children off and Esther saw something along the walls of the platform which she never saw before.

Five fireplaces lined the brick structure of the wall, and she would see flames start in the fireplace as families came out of them.

"I wonder what those are," Esther wondered outloud as she pushed her cart to prepare her trip back to Hogwarts. She had her luggage and owl loaded into the hold before she stepped in the train to find a empty compartment and she chose one facing the platform so she can gesture to Harry and their friends to join her, as she did not want Draco and his lackeys join her.

She watched from the compartment window as she saw more families entering the platform to see their kids off to Hogwarts. She caught sight of the Malfoys as she saw Draco's mother give him a kiss on the cheek as well as a tin of sweets. Catching sight of Hermione, she waved at her to get her attention.

When it was five to eleven, with Esther sitting in the compartment with Hermione, she saw the Weasleys enter the platform. From the looks of it, they were late but Esther caught no sight of Harry and Ron. Then, it was one to eleven and still no sight of them.

"I wonder where they are," Hermione said as the train started leaving the platform.

"Odd too," muttered Esther, as she and Hermione were joined by Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff house.

"New year, fresh start," mused Hannah as she sat down. "New things to learn."

"Gilderoy Lockhart. I nearly squealed seeing that he has written most of the school list," said Susan Bones. "It made my day when I learned he will be teaching us."

"I know, I read his books. I can't wait for him to teach us," said Hermione excitedly. "He's going to give us great lessons. Look at all the things he's done?"

"Like brushing his teeth," Esther muttered. She was tempted to leave the compartment and sit in another. She hated to admit it, but she decided that she would rather sit with Draco and his lackeys then sit with some fellow second years and hearing how they adore Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Off topic, have you seen Ron and Harry?" Esther suddenly asked Susan and Hannah.

They both shrugged and Susan replied, "No, I haven't. I have seen that Ron's siblings were late getting on the train, but no sign of Ron and your cousin."

"I'll be right back," said Esther, as she stood up to leave. "They could be lost."

"Don't take too long," Hermione told Esther as she left the compartment.

Esther walked through the corridor of the Hogwarts Express, careful not to fall as the ground was moving under her. Catching sight of Neville, Seamus, and Dean in a compartment, she opened their compartment door.

"Hello, Esther," Seamus greeted. "Do you want something?"

"Have you seen Harry and Ron anywhere?" Esther asked them.

The three boys from Gryffindor shook their heads.

"No, we haven't. Fred and George came and asked us earlier," said Neville. "Seems like they missed the train."

"Oh," said Esther, disappointed at their answer. "Thank you anyway."

Esther closed the compartment door before walking a few steps. She looked at a compartment door and noticed a compartment occupied by Draco and his lackeys.

Hesitantly, Esther approached their compartment door and knocked.

"Who could it be now?" she heard Draco mutter as he approached the compartment door.

As he slid the door opened, his sneer changed into a relaxed expression when he saw who it was.

"Oh, Dursley," said Draco. "It's just you. I thought it was Weasley's twin brothers again?"

"They asked you too?" said Esther.

"Apparently, Weasley and Potter haven't boarded the train to Hogwarts. Those Weasel twins were asking around and they asked us if we have seen them," said Draco. "I told them I hadn't and that they were mingling in bad territory. As father says, the Weasleys have too many kids then they could afford and that he could afford them more than Weasley's father. I wouldn't want to imagine having six siblings though. It be chaotic."

"You haven't seen Harry and Ron either," said Esther, ignoring Draco's last two sentences.

He shrugged and said ", Nope. Haven't seen them. If I did, I would know."

"Okay," said Esther, "Thank you anyway."

Esther closed the compartment door and continued her search. No one in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and even Slytherin had seen Harry and Ron. She was about to approach the compartment occupied by three fourth year Hufflepuffs until she was approached by Percy Weasley, who instructed her to return to her compartment.

"Insufferable prat," she muttered. "We are not in Hogwarts yet."

Esther made the trip back to the compartment she shared with Hermione, Susan, and Hannah, where she found them eating Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans.

Esther shrugged and said ", Nope. They're not on the train."

"You didn't ask everyone did you?" Hermione asked her.

"I asked a few people in each of the four houses," said Esther. "Neville hasn't seen him. Neither has Draco…"

"You asked Malfoy?" asked Hermione horrified.

"I know he is a snot-faced bully, but I asked him anyway," said Esther. "I was rather hesitant."

"I hope Harry and Ron find their way to Hogwarts," said Hermione worry in her voice.

All Esther could concentrate during the train ride to Hogwarts was Harry and Ron. Where were they? Why did they miss the train?

Worry was deeply ingrained in her mind when she the train arrived to Hogwarts. While the first years followed Hagrid to the boats, Esther and the other children in her year followed the older students to horseless carriages that would lead them to Hogwarts.

Esther's mind was numb with worry that she dimly noticed that the other Slytherins were sneezing that the sight of Millicent Bulstrode's cat when they entered the Slytherin common room to get ready for the start of term feast.

"Why did Bulstrode have to bring a cat here?" asked Marcus Flint, trying to hide a sneeze. "I am allergic to them."

"Cats are not that bad, Flint," Gemma told him. "My aunt Dolores has five of them."

Esther followed the others to the Great Hall when she was approached by Professor Snape.

"Ms. Dursley," said Snape, as he took her aside. "Have you seen Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?"

"No, I haven't. They never boarded the train either," said Esther.

"Peculiar," said Snape. "You may go."

Esther ran to catch up with her fellow Slytherins.

At the Great Hall, like the previous year, Esther saw Professor McGonagall lead the first years to the sorting hat.

"Ginny Weasley," she called as she looked at the scroll. Esther saw Ron's sister nervously approached the stool. Unsurprisingly, she was sorted into Gryffindor.

"Luna Lovegood," McGonagall called and a dreamy-eyed, eleven year old girl with blond haired approached the stool and after a minute, the sorting hat shouted "RAVENCLAW!"

After the sorting was complete, Dumbledore approached the podium to begin his start of term speech. "Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts and to all the first years. Before we have our feast, I shall make a few announcements. I am proud to say that Gilderoy Lockhart shall take the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a enthusiastic round of round of applause as Gilderoy Lockhart stood up and cockily addressed the students before sitting down.

"Argus Filch would like to remind you that there is a blanket ban on some Zonkos products, for those who go to Hogsmeade. The list will be on your bulletin boards in your common rooms," said Dumbledore. "May the feast begin."

Just like last year, the food appeared before their eyes.

"Good Quidditch season it will be. This time, we will flatten the Gryffindors," said Marcus Flint as he helped to roast beef.

"With Harry Potter as the Gryffindor seeker?" Esther asked him.

"We'll get a new one. Trust me," Marcus told her.

"Speaking of Potter, he didn't make it to the train," Tracey Davis said. "Hopefully he and that Weasley boy will not come."

Esther looked to see that Snape was gone from his seat at the high table.

"Where did Snape go?" Esther asked herself.

During the start of the term feast, Esther's mind was on Harry and Ron, though she was dimly aware of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle teasing Slytherin first years. Soon, somehow, news broke out that Harry and Ron rode a Ford Angilia through the sky to get to Hogwarts and that they were in Snape's office after Filch caught them trying enter the great hall in everyday wear.

"From what I heard, Snape was pretty upset that they inflicted damage on the Whomping Willow. Sure enough they are expelled," Esther heard a Slytherin fifth year comment as they left the Great Hall for the dormitories.

Listening to the rumors, Esther broke away from the mass of Slytherins and waited for Harry and Ron outside Snape's office and when they came out, Ron saw her expression and cringed.

"I was worried about you two! When I couldn't find you on the train, I thought you missed the train. Snape asked me where you were," shouted Esther. "Then I hear rumors that you took a Ford and flew the skies in it causing attention from Muggles. I heard someone that you were expelled."

"Well, it is hard to explain. The Weasleys were late getting to the platform, the barrier sealed off; me and Ron, couldn't pass through. There was no way else to get here, so we had to take Ron's car. We managed to fly here, but the car malfunctioned and hit the whomping willow," said Harry. "Filch caught us trying to enter the start-of-term feast late, and he sent us to Snape's office. Apparently, we were seen by muggles, as he showed us the front page of the _Evening Prophet_. Luckily, Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall stepped in before Snape could expel us. We do have detention."

Esther paused for a moment before saying ", I'm glad you two didn't break your necks. Why did the barrier seal off?"

"We don't know," said Ron.

"Interesting," said Esther. "I must head to my common room before it is pass curfew. Goodnight, Ron, Harry."

"Good night," she heard them both say after she ran to the wall blocking the common room, where she saw Draco and his two lackeys waiting.

"What did they tell you?" Draco asked her.

"The reason they took the car was that the barrier to the platform got sealed off," said Esther.

Crabbe and Goyle laughed while Draco glared at them, causing them to stop. "Sealed? Why?" Draco asked confused.

"They do not know either," said Esther. "Now tell me what the password is or we'll get into trouble."

"Okay," said Draco before turning to the wall. "_Parsletongue_."

The wall slide open and Esther went ahead of Draco and his lackeys as she stepped into the common room.

Esther ignored all the babble and talk as she made her way into her old dormitory, marked _second years_.

* * *

**R & R**


	27. Gilderoy Lockhart

**Enjoy!**

* * *

At breakfast at the Great Hall, there was a incessant chatter amongst the students, talking about what to expect during the day. The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the enchanted ceiling (today, a dull, cloudy gray).

Draco was muttering aloud when he'll try out for the Slytherin Quidditch team while Esther focused on her breakfast.

"Seems stupid that we get Gilderoy Lockhart this year," Esther heard Adrian Pucey say to another fourth year Slytherin. "I guarantee you that we'll learn _nothing _in that class but that teacher. Trust me, I know that Defense against the Dark Arts is pointless, but I would rather be learning something then hearing a teacher talk about themselves all day."

"What do you have against Gilderoy Lockhart?" Tracey Davis asked Adrian, looking away from the book _Magical Me_. "With him, we'll learn plenty of stuff."

It was Gemma Farley who answered.

"All we'll learn about is how he takes care of his hair," Gemma answered. "My mum's a fan, which is a shame."

"Besides, we never got a real textbook for this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts class," said Esther. "Just books by a obviously narcissistic wizard."

"Exactly, Esther," said Gemma. "You took the words from my mouth."

Soon, the mass of owls for the morning mail flew into the Great Hall. A package fell in front of Draco, Esther felt a big, lumpy package bounce off her head, and she soon heard a clatter over at the Gryffindor's table. Esther looked over to see that the Weasley's owl toppled the milk jug which was supporting Hermione's book.

Esther shook her head and turned to open the parcel Gertrude bought for her when she heard something that made her jump.

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Esther heard the voice of Molly Weasley, only a hundred times louder. Esther, along with Millicent, and Blaise, turned to see the spectacle at Gryffindor table.

"HOW DARE YOU STEAL THE CAR?! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!" yelled the Howler. Esther heard Draco snigger and mutter ", Glad it is not me this time. Father's howlers are bad enough."

"IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!" yelled Molly's voice. Draco and his lackeys sniggered even louder before the howler disintegrated at Gryffindor table.

Esther turned to her package, trying to focus her mind on the plate in front of her as she opened the package.

"That was a laugh," said Draco before he imitated Molly Weasley. "_If you put another toe out of line_…"

The other Slytherins laughed at Draco's snide comment while Esther shook her head as she took out the contents from the package. More sweets from home.

Esther felt a twinge of guilt for the Weasleys, as their father was facing a inquiry at work. She knew she should feel guiltier about it, but she knew, that unlike Harry, she did not understand the situation.

Soon, Professor Snape was moving along the Slytherin table, handing out the course schedules. Esther took hers and saw that she had double herbology first.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. The four of them had only just joined them when they saw Professor Sprout striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Arrogant blond, pretty boy," Esther muttered under her breath.

She heard Draco and his lackeys laughing with her words. "Suits him," she heard Draco mutter.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her grey hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Petunia Dursley faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of gold, his golden hair shining as always, and Esther secretly wondered if he wore wigs.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming at the assembled students. "Just been showing Proffesor Sprout the right way to doctor the Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only worked in greenhouse one before – green house three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Esther caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. She followed Ron and Hermione inside, though Gilderoy Lockhart took Harry aside.

Esther lingered outside to hear what was going on before she followed the other students to put on protective coats over her robes as well as dragon hide gloves. She was glad that she was not famous or Lockhart would want to hog her attention like he does Harry. As there was limited choice of places, Esther took a spot between Susan Bones and Crabbe.

In front of them on the tables were empty pots filled with dragon dung and in the pots in the middle, Esther thought she saw something moving in them. In front of her, a pair of ear muffs.

Seeing her nearby, Draco told Crabbe to switch places with Esther. When Crabbe protested, Draco told him, "It is nothing personal, Crabbe. If my grades are better than last year, you'll see why."

Esther reluctantly switched places with Crabbe. She was not used to standing next to the bully of the second years.

"I wonder what we'll learn today," mused Pansy. "We're in greenhouse three."

"Maybe I can find a plant that would give Longbottom a rash that will last for weeks," said Draco, sneering at Neville.

"Shut up, Draco," Esther said.

Soon, Harry entered the greenhouse, put on the protective garments, and took his place between Ron and Hermione, where a boy from Hufflepuff, Justin Finch-Fletchley greeted them.

"Lockhart's something, isn't he?" Justin happily said to Ron, Harry, and Hermione. "Awfully brave chap. I'd have died in fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and – zap – just _fantastic_. My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am to be here instead. Of course, mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family…"

"So stupid," Esther muttered. Justin seemed to have heard her.

"What?" he asked across from her.

Esther pouted innocently and said ", Nothing."

Soon, Professor Sprout entered the greenhouse to begin the lesson.

"Today we're going to re-pot Mandrakes," said Professor Sprout. She turned to pick up a large pot before setting it in front of her on the long table. "Who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"

Not to everyone's surprise, Hermione's hand was the first to shot up.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Sprout.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora is used to return those who have been petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it," answered Hermione.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout.

Draco scowled. He didn't like that a muggle-born was smarter than him.

"As our Mandrakes are still only seedlings their cries won't kill you yet," said Professor Sprout. "But they could knock you out for several hours which is why I given you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So could you please put them on, right away? Quickly."

Esther hastily grabbed the pair of earmuffs in front of her and made sure that the muffs were in position over her ears.

"Flaps tight down, and watch me closely", instructed Professor Sprout. "You grasp your Mandrake firmly," she said as she held the plant tightly in her grasp before pulling it out. "You pull it sharply out of the pot."

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head and he was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs. Everyone tightened the flaps around their ears.

"Got it? And now you dunk it down into the other pot," said Professor Sprout as she did so, "and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm."

Neville, overwhelmed by the sound of the Mandrakes, passed out.

"Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.

Draco smirked.

"No, ma'am, he's just fainted," said Seamus.

"Yes, well, just leave him there," said Professor Sprout, as Seamus gave her a strange look. "Right, on we go. Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrake and pull it up."

Everyone pulled their Mandrakes from the pot, the Mandrakes screams filling the air. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but it didn't seem to want to go back either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Esther spent twelve whole minutes trying to repot hers. Draco smirked at everyone as he tickled his Mandrake before putting his finger in its mouth and the Mandrake bit down on it before Draco pulled his finger out.

By the end of class, Esther, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back into the castle for a quick wash and then they headed to Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, and today was no different. To make sure information did not leak out from her head, Esther had spent the summer studying when she was not doing her homework. She was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, and it took her five minutes to start turning them into buttons. As for Draco, it took him eight minutes to successfully turn his first beetle into a button.

As Esther tried to turn the second beetle into button, she heard a loud _Poof_ followed by the smell of rotten eggs and she and Draco both turned to see Ron, engulfed in smoke, as he wielded his Spellotape bound wand before he crushed his beetle with his elbow.

"His wand needs repairing," drawled Draco. "I'm glad it is not me. I'm sure his family will sell their house to buy him a new one."

"That's not nice," Esther told him.

Esther was glad to hear the lunch bell. Her brain felt heavy from the new information she learned. Everyone filed out of the classroom except her, Ron, and Harry. Ron was whacking his wand furiously on the desk.

"Stupid – useless – thing!"

"Write home for another one," Harry suggested as the wand let off a volley of bangs like a firecracker.

"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back," said Ron, stuffing his now hissing wand into his bag. "_It's your fault your wand snapped_…"

"Do you want me to give you money to buy yourself a new one?" Esther asked him. "You don't have to pay me back."

"Thank you, Esther," said Ron. "But I think I can survive."

At lunch time, Esther had to move a few inches away to avoid the sight of Crabbe and Goyle pigging out on mash potatoes.

"What do we have this afternoon?" she heard Daphne ask Millicent.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Millicent replied, looking at her schedule.

"Good luck. We had him last hour," Marcus Flint said.

"What happened?" Esther asked him.

He grimaced and replied ", you'll see, it was bad."

She finished lunch and headed to the library to study to read _the Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts _before the class bell rang.

The second years filed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, which looked a bit different. When Professor Quirrel was in the post, the walls were bare, now there were pictures of Lockhart, one of them was a painting of Lockhart, portraying him as a painter painting his physical likeness.

Esther sat down at a desk, with Draco sitting next to her. She was going to talk about this with him later.

Lockhart left the office connecting to the classroom and appeared above the students.

"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, me," said Lockhart, before descending the stairs to the classroom. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of _Witch Weekly's _Most-Charming-Smile Award – but I don't want to talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

Lockhart smirked at his students before pulling out his wand and moving towards a covered cage sitting on a table nearby. "Now – be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind!"

Lockhart tapped the cage with his wand. "You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room," he said, as Esther and Draco both exchanged glances before looking worried when they paid eye contact to their instructor. "Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might provoke them!"

Lockhart removed the cover, revealing that the cage was filled with small, blue, winged, strange looking creatures that made noises like they were shouting.

Esther tried to hide a snigger. Was this some joke by Lockhart?

"Cornish Pixies?" Seamus asked, nearly laughing.

"Freshly caught Cornish Pixies," replied Lockhart.

Seamus laughed some more.

"Laugh all you want, Mr. Finnegan," said Lockhart. "These pixies can be devilishly little blighters. Let's see what you make of them."

Lockhart soon opened the cage and the pixies came flying out.

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Esther, wanting to escape the pandemonium, followed the others and ran out of the classroom, Draco and his lackeys right behind her.

As soon as they were away from the classroom, the students participating in the class ran separate ways.

"I want to tell father about this," Draco muttered.

"It's just pixies," Esther told him.

"Still, that was stupid of Lockhart to let them out," said Draco.

"I know," Esther replied.

"Should we tell Professor Snape? He wouldn't mind if we asked him to take care of the pixies," Draco said.

"I have a feeling that the Cornish pixies might be taken care of if we asked Snape," said Esther.

"I know why," said Draco, crossing his arms. "Granger."

* * *

**Thoughts?**


	28. Esther's Parentage

**Read on! Reviews are always welcomed!**

* * *

The first week passed rather slowly. While Harry was trying to dodge Gilderoy Lockhart, Esther paid attention to her studies, though she was annoyed by the fact that Draco would next to her during Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Defense against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic.

Still, she could see where he was coming from. She wouldn't want to sit next to anyone as stupid as Crabbe and Goyle either.

On Wednesday, she saw that the members of the Slytherin Quidditch team were looking ecstatic. Marcus Flint was smirking and saying how this year, Slytherin will win. Draco on the other hand, was acting as if he were chosen to be prefect. Later that day, Esther found out why when she returned to the Slytherin Common room. Marcus Flint and the other members of the Slytherin Quidditch team were showing off the new polished, black broomsticks that had the silver wording _Nimbus 2001_.

And that was not the only thing.

"As a result of Mr. Malfoy's generous donation to the Slytherin Quidditch team," said Marcus Flint to the other Slytherins assembled at the common room. ", Draco Malfoy will be the Slytherin seeker."

Pansy acted like Draco was knighted. Esther wondered how to tell Harry about this, though she doubted that the Slytherins would not like it if she did.

Still, to Esther, it was nothing new: Just her fellow Slytherins scheming to win back the House Cup, though she knew that Draco as seeker would create problems for Harry and that Draco would be busy taunting Harry then looking for the Snitch.

Friday began in a way that you wouldn't think anything will go downhill. The sky was blue, not a cloud. Esther planned on studying out in the courtyard to enjoy the breeze.

As always, Potions was down in the dungeons and today the class was supposed to be completing a parchment packet. Esther was sitting next to Draco, still working on the second page on the parchment packet. Draco was doing his and Esther saw that he had his Potions notes under his desk (notes were not allowed).

As Esther was about to begin the third page, she heard a conversation between Ernie Macmillian and Wayne Hopkins, two Hufflepuff second years.

And this part of the conversation peaked her interest.

"My father works at the Ministry, maintaining the birth certificates and census," she heard Wayne tell Ernie. "I talk to him about how my year went and I told him that Harry Potter was cousins with Esther Dursley, a Slytherin. Dursley doesn't seem like a pureblood surname, as most of Slytherin is composed of purebloods, so he checked her birth certificate. What he found shocked him."

"What happened?" she heard Ernie ask him.

"You know how they change the subject in regards to her father? Her father was Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr. and her mother was Anastasia Volkov," she heard Wayne reply to Ernie.

"You mean, her father is…" Ernie asked, as if he heard news that paralyzed him.

"Yeah, her father is _You-Know-Who_, or was anyway," said Wayne. "It doesn't surprise me if she was sorted into Slytherin, as _You-Know-Who _was one."

"When did you find this out?" she heard Ernie ask Wayne.

"Over the summer," said Wayne. "A interesting family to research for the extra credit project that Professor Binns is giving us the option of doing."

Esther felt as if she was about to fall from her chair. She, daughter of Voldemort? From her research, Voldemort didn't know how to love and she would doubt that he would want to conceive a child and Wayne Hopkins was planning to do a genealogy report on her. She thought this was just to ploy to discredit her for being sorted into Slytherin.

Without hesitation, Esther headed to where Ernie and Wayne were sitting and their heads shot up to see her at their table.

"You need anything?" Ernie asked her.

Esther composed a innocent smile on her face and said ", Wayne said that his father looks after the census and birth certificates at the Ministry of Magic."

"Yes, he does. It's his job," Wayne maintained, hoping that she did not over hear their conversation. He could see Draco Malfoy looking at their direction, with peaked interest on his face.

"How valid do you think my birth certificate is?" Esther asked Wayne.

"There are all valid," said Wayne. "Nobody has made a mistake with one of them."

Refusing to believe it, Esther asked ", are you insinuating that Voldemort is my father?"

People within earshot gasped at the name while the Slytherins looked on with interest.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione on the other hand, were out of earshot of the conversation and still doing their assignment. As usual, Snape paid a blind eye to was happening.

"It is the truth," Wayne managed to get out, fearing that she might pounce on him.

In a second Harry and his friends were bought out of their world of studying when they heard a chair tip over.

They looked up to see Esther on top of Wayne, pounding him on the chest, calling him a liar and other things. Unsurprisingly, the other Slytherins looked on with interest and some were egging Esther on.

"Give him your best, Dursley!" yelled Draco.

"Give it to him hard!" they heard Pansy Parkinson yell among the crowd.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at the scene with shock.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" asked Ron.

"Someone obviously said something to her that made her upset," said Hermione.

This shocked Harry. For the years he knew Esther, he never known her to be physically violent. Sure, he knew she wished she would whack Dudley with a book or something and she jinxed Malfoy once, but she would never use her fists. That was something Dudley did.

Soon, Snape surprised everyone by running over to the scene of the altercation and they watched as he pulled Esther off of Wayne.

"Get your hands off of me!" Esther yelled as she struggled in Snape's grip. He opened a vial and pried her mouth open to force a clear looking liquid down her throat. No one knew what it was for until she suddenly calmed down and was rendered half-way conscious.

"Help Hopkins up," Snape spat at Justin, who was watching, before Snape addressed the students in the classroom. "All of you stay put while I take both Ms. Dursley and Mr. Hopkins to the hospital wing. If any of you leave, I will not hesitate to give you a detention."

As soon as Snape, Justin, a bruised up Wayne, and a sedated Esther were out of room, everyone returned to their seats though the Slytherins were geeked up from the altercation that took place.

"This is something to write about to father," they heard Draco say.

"Really, getting into a physical confrontation," Hermione said with disapproval on her face. "I thought Esther knew better."

"The thing that surprises me was that Snape actually pulled her off of Wayne Hopkins," said Harry. "When has he pried a Slytherin off of a student during a fight? He usually pays a blind eye."

"Yeah, Harry," said Ron. "This doesn't make sense at all."

Harry was confused as well. He was going to ask Esther what happened.

* * *

Esther soon regained full consciousness and she found herself lying on a bed in the hospital wing. Wayne was nearby too, with Madam Pomfrey tending his bruises.

Esther knew she shouldn't have attacked Wayne, but her anger got the best of her. She wasn't Voldemort's daughter, was she? How can somebody who cannot love conceive a child with her mother? She knew that her mother was killed by death eaters to kidnap Esther herself, though everyone was secretive when it came to the matter of her father.

"Is she awake?" she heard Dumbledore ask Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes, Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey told him in reply.

Dread started to form in Esther's stomach as she saw Dumbledore. She was going to be expelled, she knew it.

As he stood at the foot of her bed, Dumbledore said ", due to the circumstances, I now feel it is my job to tell you."

"I didn't mean to hurt him, Professor," Esther said hastily. "Please don't expel me."

"Relax, my child. You will not be expelled," said Dumbledore. "Severus has told me that you have gotten upset over what you heard Mr. Hopkins tell Mr. Macmillian."

"Yes," said Esther.

"Can you tell me why?" Dumbledore asked her.

"I heard Wayne tell Ernie that I was that daughter of Volde – I mean, _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named_. Tell me it is not true, professor," Esther begged.

Dumbledore's grave expression provided her an answer. One that she did not want to hear.

"Please. I can't be," said Esther, on the verge of tears. "Voldemort killed Harry's parents. How could be his child?"

"I know it is unfortunate Ms. Dursley," said Dumbledore. "I planned on approaching you with the subject for when you enter the sixth year. I had no idea that you would find out early. The reason I did not tell you last year was that I feared that you would not understand."

"I'm cursed," Esther muttered under her breath.

Dumbledore sighed and said ", I know you would think that, but the most important thing is that you are on good terms with Harry Potter. That would prevent Voldemort from putting you up to the task of causing him harm."

Dumbledore soon left and a few minutes later, she saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione coming to stand by her hospital bed.

"What happened? All we saw was that you were beating on Wayne Hopkins before Snape pulled you two apart and sedated you," said Harry.

"Please don't hate me for this, Harry," Esther told him.

"Why would I hate you?" asked Harry, confused. "You can tell me."

"Well, I heard Wayne tell Ernie that his father looks after the census and birth records at the Ministry," said Esther, "and his father saw my birth certificate."

"What about it?" asked Ron.

"I have been cursed. Turns out the man who killed Harry's parents is also my biological father," said Esther.

It took Harry seconds to digest what Esther told him. She was the daughter of Lord Voldemort? To Harry, it wasn't possible. It had to be some sort of mistake, though he knew that the wizarding census was accurate.

"Well, it could have meant anyone," said Ron. "As I told you earlier, Esther was a..."

"I'm not stupid, Ron. My mother is Anastasia Volkov," said Esther. "Whenever I ask about my father, they change the subject. I now see why. I have been cursed."

Harry didn't know what to think. She was the daughter of the man who killed his parents, but she was the only one of the Dursleys that cared for him. He knew he couldn't hate her. It was not her fault she was the daughter of Voldemort.

"Do you hate me, Harry?" Esther asked him.

"I don't hate you," Harry told her. "It is not your fault that the man who killed my parents was your father."

"Don't blame yourself for it," Hermione told her. "You were the same age as Harry when he was orphaned. It was not your fault."

Esther still could not get over the initial shock of what she heard. When she was released from the hospital wing, she headed straight to the Slytherin common room and would not come out for dinner. She felt as if a numbing curse was inflicted on her. All night, she could not sleep, as she spent the night wondering how the whole school would react

She feared she would be ostracized, considering that her father was a genocidal, dark wizard.

The next morning, her fears were confirmed. On that Friday, the day before, news spread like wildfire about what happened at Professor Snape's second year Potions class and the whole story was revealed: Esther Dursley, the Slytherin cousin of _The Boy Who Lived_, was the daughter of Lord Voldemort, the infamous Dark Lord who killed Harry's parents that night on Halloween in 1981, and that she attacked a Hufflepuff for accidently stumbling upon that truth.

From being the most vaguely recognized and invisible of the Slytherins, Esther was suddenly the most noticeable and most hated. After she left the Slytherin common room for breakfast in the Great Hall, the room became eerie silent followed by boos from the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables. After a miserable breakfast, Esther headed straight to the library. Harry's Quidditch practice was the last thing on her mind. On her way to the library, first years ran the other direction and the older students did not bother to lower their voices as they insulted her and blamed her for the deaths of their family members caused by her father. The library was the most uncomfortable place to be. Stares would bore into her back as she would study and she would look back at the students staring at her, they would return to their studies.

Esther was about to go to the courtyard when she saw both Ron and Harry, looking like they been through a fight.

"What happened?" Esther asked them, seeing that Ron was trying to hold something in his mouth.

"We were on our way to Quidditch practice when we saw the Slytherins coming into the Quidditch pitch. Malfoy is seeker and the Slytherin team has new brooms. Malfoy said something disparaging and Hermione stood up to Malfoy and he called her…well…it was not nice," said Harry.

The conversation was attracting attention. People looked on with worry, fearing that Esther might harm Harry.

"He called Hermione a Mudblood?" Esther asked in a whisper.

Harry looked surprise that she knew what the term meant but kept talking. "Yeah, Ron got upset, told Malfoy to eat slugs and it backfired on him. Now, Ron has to cough up slugs," said Harry, looking at Ron in concern.

Due to the uncomfortable attention, Esther and Harry separated. At least Harry was willing to talk to her.

At lunch in the Great Hall, Draco was talking wildly about how his first Quidditch practice went as Esther pondered her food.

"You better eat," Gemma told her. "Don't let the others bother you."

"It's just that I do not know how I managed to become unlucky to be the daughter of _He-Must-Not-Be-Named_," said Esther, still pondering her broiled potatoes.

"It will get old in a week," said Gemma. "Soon, the others will find something else to get upset about."

Esther mentally scoffed. She doubted it will ever get old, due to the subject matter. Esther feared that it might go on for most of the year and that the parents might get involved.

After lunch, Esther joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the library to study before dinner time. Ron was still vomiting slugs. Before Esther could even join Harry and his friends at the table, almost everyone stood up from where they sat and sat down at the table with Harry and his friends, so that Esther could not find a place to sit.

In the deepest state of gloom, Esther left the library to hide in the Slytherin common room to do her studying.

* * *

For someone that hated for being in Slytherin, Esther oddly considered the Slytherin common room a kind of safe haven. It would be more so if not for the Slytherins reaction to her being the daughter of Lord Voldemort.

Ever since the day before, when Esther would enter the common room, everyone would hush up and look at her. Not that they were afraid or angry, but as if she was something of great importance, like a deity.

Pansy and Tracey, who once disliked her, suddenly wanted to speak to her and be on good terms. Draco offered to help her carry her books from class to class, a offer that Esther refused.

Dinner passed like a blur. Esther, who was so hungry, wolfed down her meal of broiled potatoes and roast beef. When dessert came around, Esther was too full.

At the Slytherin common room, she sat in front of the fire place, a million questions in her head. She wondered how she was going to brave through the year, if this was going to keep up.

Ten minutes before curfew, Esther was heading to the bathroom when she heard something that startled her.

It was a voice, a voice chill to the bone marrow, a voice of breathtaking, ice-cold venom.

"_Come…come to me…Let me rip you…Let me tear you…Let me kill you…"_

Esther jumped, her ears straining to hear the voice again, but nothing. She soon shrugged and headed towards the bathroom.

After her trip to the bathroom, Esther returned to the Slytherin second years' girl's dormitory, wondering what torture laid for her the next day.


	29. The Halloween Feast

**This is the chapter where the Chamber of Secrets opens. As Esther is also a parslemouth, Harry will not be the only one to hear the basilisk. **

* * *

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among the staff and students. Her Pepperup potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours. Esther was one of the lucky few that did not get a cold, as she was careful to not get sick.

A month earlier, the day after Saturday, Harry told Esther that he heard a voice during his detention. When Esther confirmed she heard it too, Harry was confused. If no one else heard it, why was it just him and Esther?

Ever since the information came out about her being Voldemort's daughter, things for Esther had been miserable. Fred and George did not make things any better. When she would cross a corridor, they would say ", Daughter of the Dark Lord coming through. Make way for the daughter of the Dark Lord."

She knew that they were just being their joke-loving selves and never meant to be mean spirited, but she hated it. She had to go to Gemma Farely to tell Percy Weasley so he could put a stop to it.

Feeling bad for Esther, Harry asked people to stop sitting next to him or surrounding him all the time whenever she came near him.

"Are you sure?" a Hufflepuff asked him concerned. "I'm afraid what will happen if we allow that."

"I live with her during the summer holidays," said Harry. "We have known each other since we were nine."

Since then, Esther was able to sit next to Harry and his friends at the library without Harry being shielded, but people still avoided her like the Bubonic Plague, blamed her for the loss of family members, and didn't trust her and everyone watched her and Harry's interactions with great nervousness, like they fear she might kill him.

Quidditch practices were still going. Draco and the other Slytherin Quidditch players would come in, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud. For the Gryffindor Quidditch team, aside from the rain and wind it hadn't been a happy practice session. Oliver Wood (Who turned out to be the very few that did not avoid Esther after the revelation of her parentage), took Esther aside and asked her to spy on the Slytherin Quidditch team to see their chances of winning. Esther, accompanied by Blaise and Daphne (who knew nothing of her assignment), would sit in the Slytherin stands to watch the team practice. Seeing the speed of the _Nimbus 2001 _broomsticks for herself, she reported to Oliver Wood that her house team were no more than seven greenish blurs, shooting through the air like missiles. Wanting to see for themselves, Fred and George spied on the Slytherin Quidditch team as well and reported the same thing.

The Gryffindors knew with gloom, that their chances of winning were grim.

As it turns out, Wayne Hopkins from Hufflepuff was not mad at her for her reaction at the fact that she was the daughter of Voldemort. When she apologized to him, he said, "It's all right. I would have reacted the same way if I had a father like that."

A few days before Halloween, everything was normal in the Slytherin common room before dinner. Esther, Draco, Draco's lackeys, Blaise, Daphne, and Pansy were sitting around one of the tables, going over their Potions homework when Goyle threw his quill down in frustration.

"Why does Professor Snape make things so hard?" Goyle complained, as he looked at the torrid waters at the window.

"Well, this is second year, Goyle," said Esther. "What did you expect?"

"Things were much simpler last year," said Crabbe, in agreement with Goyle.

Esther laughed and said, "Think second year is hard, I like to see you at Miss Clarence's class in the primary school I went with my cousin and my brat of a brother. We had to learn stuff beyond the primary school requirements, like Algebra."

"Algebra? What is that?" Blaise asked confused.

"A form of muggle math where you have to solve an equation, like for example, you have to solve X – 12= 16," explained Esther.

"How do you subtract a number from a letter?" asked Goyle. "That does not make sense."

"Ha," said Esther. "Then why do solve the Potions formulas that Snape gives us?"

"Well, um," said Goyle. "I do not know."

"Goyle, it's not that hard," Draco told him. "If you use your brains more, you wouldn't have a problem."

When the dinner bell rung, everyone left the Slytherin Common room for dinner at the Great Hall. Dinner went the same as usual, as Esther blurred out the conversations at the Slytherin table.

* * *

By the time Halloween arrived, Esther was ecstatic about the upcoming feast. The Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid bought in vast pumpkins carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in, and there were rumors that Dumbledore booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.

"I hope it is true," Draco told Esther that morning. "It would be a disappointed if it wasn't. I would love to see skeletons dance."

That morning, Esther sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the library. She learned from them that they were invited to Nearly Headless Nick's (the Gryffindor house ghost) Death Day party, which was the same time as the Halloween feast.

"You could come too," Harry offered. "Sir Nicholas said you were welcome as well."

"Well, I don't want to miss the feast, Harry," Esther told him. "Not if Dumbledore booked a troupe of dancing skeletons.

At five to seven, everyone filed into the Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with golden plates and candles. Edmound Parkinson, the Slytherin prefect, had to contain some of the Slytherin first years, who were bouncing excitedly.

"Oh, please," Draco muttered at the sight of the excited first years.

Esther had hoped that the Halloween feast would draw away any of the negativity that she experienced in the past month.

As rumored, the students were entertained by the troupe of dancing skeletons as they ate their feast. Esther made the choice to sit far away from Crabbe and Goyle as possible due to the fact that they pig out and favored an seat by Daphne and Millicent.

When dessert rolled around, Esther put a slice of pumpkin pie on her plate when she heard a voice that made her drop her fork. It was faint, like it was from below, but Esther could make out the words it was saying.

"_…rip…tear…kill…_"

It was the same cold, murderous voice she had heard on her way to the bathrooms that night back in September.

Trying to ignore it, Esther picked up a fork that replaced the one she dropped and tried to eat her pie.

"_…so hungry…for so long…_"

Esther put down her fork, as a knot developed in her stomach.

"Dursley, what's the matter?" she heard Malfoy ask her, who seemed to notice.

"I'm okay, Draco," lied Esther. "I'm probably just full."

"_…kill…time to kill…_"

Esther spent the rest of dessert, staring hopelessly at her forgotten piece of pumpkin pie sat in front of her.

Soon, a rumble of thunder was heard, as a reminder that the feast was over. Esther followed her fellow Slytherins from the Great Hall. Very full, Esther was ready to turn in for the night. Esther was trailing behind Gemma and Edmound, when she saw the group ahead of her running. Curious, she ran after them until they stopped.

She made her way past the crowd to get a good view what happened, Draco following her.

When Esther reached the front of the crowd, she stopped in her tracks.

In the middle of the corridor, were Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing alone, looking around as they saw the mass of students around them. What shocked Esther even more was what she saw on the wall.

Hanging under a torch was Mrs. Norris, looking as though she had been rendered as a statue and above the torch were big words written in red blood:

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN

OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

As if he wanted to arouse attention, Draco yelled, "Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"

* * *

**R & R**


	30. The Writing on the Wall

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Attracted no doubt by Draco Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.

And his eyes fell to Harry.

"_You!_" he screeched. "_You_! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll…"

"_Argus!_"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry, Ron, and Hermione and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger."

Esther saw Lockhart step forward eagerly.

"My office is nearest, Headmaster – just upstairs – please feel free."

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

Esther and the rest of the silent crowd parted to let them pass. As Esther turned to leave with the others, she heard Snape call out to her.

"You might want to come along as well, Ms. Dursley. I think there are things that you might know."

Esther soon hurried towards the retreating group, wandering why they needed to speak to her as well.

As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Esther saw several of the Lockharts in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on the desk and stood back. Dumbledore lay Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely with his eyes, his fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: It was as though he was trying hard not to smile. And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions.

"It was definitely a curse that killed her – probably the Transmogrifan Torture – I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very countercurse that would have saved her…"

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, racking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand but nothing happened: She continued to look as though she had been recently stuffed.

"…I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadgou," said Lockhart ("Will you please shut up," Esther muttered), "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography, I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets, which cleared the matter up at once…"

The photographs of Lockhart on the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hair net.

At last Dumbledore straightened up.

"She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of deaths he had prevented (much to Esther's relief).

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all – stiff and frozen?"

"She has been petrified," said Dumbledore. "But how, I cannot say…"

"Ask _him_!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced…"

"He did it, he did it!" Filch spat, his face purpling. "You saw what he wrote on the wall! He found – in my office – he knows I'm a – I'm a…" Filch's face worked horribly. "He knows I'm a Squib!" he finished.

Hearing the sentence from Filch confused Esther. What was a Squib?

"I never _touched _Mrs. Norris!" Harry said loudly. "And I don't even know what a Squib _is_?

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "He saw my Kwikspell letter."

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows. "Potter and his friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

A slight sneer appeared on his mouth as though he doubted it. "But we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all launched into explanations about the Death Day party, saying that a number of ghosts would prove they were there. When Snape questioned why they hadn't joined the feast afterwards, Harry said that they were not hungry and wanted to go to bed.

"Be as it may, I doubt your story," said Snape, "though I have asked a member of my house if she knows anything."

Esther, who forgotten that she herself was there, looked uncomfortably as she saw all eyes turn to her.

Esther swallowed hard.

"Did you know anything about Potter and his friends' whereabouts?" Snape asked her.

Esther looked at Harry, who nodded at her.

"Harry did mention a Death Day party to me this morning," Esther answered truthfully. "He asked if I could go, but I told him that I preferred to stay at the feast."

Snape looked satisfied at her answer. For once, Harry was glad to know someone in Slytherin house. If Snape suspected him of anything, Esther would defend him without Snape questioning her word.

Filch looked at Dumbledore desperately, as if he wanted Dumbledore wanted to say otherwise.

"Innocent until proven guilty," said Dumbledore firmly.

Argus Filch looked furious

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some _punishment_!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Professor Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart have butted in. "I must done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep…"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Potions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause.

"You may go," Dumbledore said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Esther was following them until Dumbledore told her to stay.

"Is there anything else you would like to share us?" Dumbledore asked her. "Something is bothering you."

"Well, I have heard a voice twice. It was murderous and cold. It said something about wanting to kill and tear," said Esther.

Dumbledore's face drained of color at her answer, though he asked her some more. "When have you heard this voice?"

"On the first weekend of term and today at the feast," Esther answered.

"You may go," Dumbledore said to her.

Esther left Lockhart's office and headed down the dungeons to the Slytherin common room. It was midnight when she headed to the second years' girls' dormitory. She changed into her nightgown and fell asleep in her bed, a million questions in her head.

* * *

For a few days, the school could talk little else but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everybody's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back. The message on the wall was still gleaming red, despite his efforts to clean it with no effect.

Esther was wondering what a Squib was, she asked one of the Slytherin prefects.

"What is a Squib?" Esther happened to ask Gemma Farely at lunch, within earshot of Draco, who sniggered at her question.

"Well, it is quite a sad reality," said Gemma. "A squib is a person born to wizarding parents, but the child has no magical powers. My younger sister is one and she is in a muggle school because she cannot perform magic and she has to hear me talk about Hogwarts. I feel bad for her, as it would be a burden to have wizarding parents but have no magical powers."

"Unfortunately, my father's cousin happens to be a Squib as well," said Draco. "He works as a banker, but my family never talks about him much. I am glad I am not a squib. I heard it is miserable to have magical parents when you can't perform magic."

As for the attack on Filch's cat, the misery Esther felt was becoming much worse. Now when she would walk through the corridor, students skirted around her as if she were to sprout fangs or spit poison and the students stared, hissed, and pointed as they saw her walking passed them.

What has she done to strike fear in their hearts? She did nothing but be the daughter of the man she hated for ruining Harry's life when he was one.

Esther, curious as to why people were afraid of her more than ever, asked a few people, who provided her with unsatisfying answers.

"I do not know why they are acting like this," Percy Weasley told her. "You were there at the Halloween feast, as I know. That does not make you a suspect in my opinion."

The only useful answer she got was from Ernie Macmillian from Hufflepuff.

"Most of the school thinks you are the Heir of Slytherin," Ernie told her.

"Me? What is the Heir of Slytherin?" Esther asked him confused.

"Well, my father told me once about the Chamber of Secrets. When it was first opened, many were Petrified, a student died and the person responsible was expelled," said Ernie.

"What about the Heir of Slytherin?" Esther asked him. "What does that have to mean."

"I have heard that legend says that Salazar Slytherin's true heir would open it," answered Ernie. "Most likely a direct descendent."

"So, why am I the suspected Heir?" asked Esther. "Are people just thinking that because I am the child of _You-Know-Who_?"

"Most likely," answered Ernie. "I don't think you are Slytherin's Heir. You were at the feast when it happened, so I don't know why people are making that accusation."

Esther knew that from a outside view, she would come to that conclusion herself, but in her mind, it needs to be proven before accusations are thrown.

Before Transfiguration, Esther relayed the news to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"The whole school is going mental," said Ron. "Everyone has to know you didn't attack Mrs. Norris, as you were there at the Great Hall during the feast."

"But Justin thinks I did," Harry muttered to himself.

* * *

"Could I have your attention, please?" Professor McGonagall asked the students at Transfiguration. "Right. Now, today, we will be transforming animals into water goblets."

Esther paid attention though she saw Draco look unamused.

"Like so," said McGonagall. She pointed her wand at a exotic bird and said, "One, two, three. _Vera Verto_."

After three taps with her wand, the bird transfigured into a goblet.

As she stepped forward, Professor McGonagall said to the class. "Now it's your turn. Who would like to go first?"

"Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall called.

"Not him," Draco muttered.

"One, two, three. _Vera Verto_," Professor McGonagall instructed Ron.

Ron cleared his throat and pointed his broken wand at Scabbers.

"_Vera Verto_," said Ron.

The result was a cross between an rat and a goblet.

Esther couldn't help but laugh a little.

"That wand needs replacing, Mr. Weasley," Professor McGonagall told him.

It was then when Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss Granger," asked Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could tell us about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione.

Esther felt almost every eye turn to her while Draco looked on with slight interest.

Professor McGonagall looked at her students, sighed, then spoke.

"Very well," she said. "You all know of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. Now, three of the founders coexisted quite harmoniously. One did not."

"Three guesses who," Esther saw Ron tell to Harry.

"Salazar Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall continued. "He believed magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. In other words, pure-bloods."

Draco smirked at Hermione's direction.

"Unable to sway the others, he decided to leave the school. Now, according to legend, Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in this castle known as the Chamber of Secrets. Though, shortly, before departing, he sealed it until that time when his own true Heir returned to this school."

Esther felt the stares even more as McGonagall said that sentence.

"The Heir alone would be able to open the Chamber and unleash the horror within, and by so doing purge the school of all those who in Slytherin's view, were unworthy to study magic."

"Muggle-borns," Hermione answered.

"Well, naturally, the school has been searched many times. No such chamber has been found," said McGonagall.

As Professor McGonagall headed to her desk, Hermione asked her another question.

"Professor? What exactly does legend tell us lies within the Chamber?"

"The Chamber is said to be home to something that only the Heir of Slytherin can control. It is said to be the home of a monster," Professor McGonagall said.

Esther saw Ron look back at Draco, wide eyed, who smirked back at him.

* * *

"Do you think it's true? Do you think there is really a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked as he, Harry, Hermione, and Esther walked through the corridors after Transfiguration.

"Yes. Couldn't you tell? McGonagall's worried. All the teachers are," Hermione answered.

"If there really is a Chamber of Secrets, and it really has been opened, that means…" Harry began before Hermione answered him.

"The Heir of Slytherin has returned to Hogwarts. It is not Esther as everybody thinks. The question is, who is it," said Hermione, as Esther saw Draco and his lackeys walk behind them.

"Let's think. Who do we know who thinks all Muggle-borns are scum?" Ron asked, as Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle walked past them.

"Really, Ron?" Esther asked him. "Draco Malfoy?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy…" Hermione began.

"Of course, you heard him. 'You'll be next, Mudbloods'," said Ron. "Come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face and know it's him."

"I heard him," said Hermione. "But Malfoy the Heir of Slytherin?"

"Maybe Ron's right, Hermione. I mean, look at his family. The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin for centuries," said Harry. "They could easily be Salazar Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

"They've could have had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son…"

"Well, let me say this," said Esther, as she faced the trio. "The Malfoys are not the only family in Hogwarts that has been in Slytherin house. The Crabbes and the Goyles apply as well. And Ron, seriously, a key to the Chamber?"

"Well, Malfoy has to open it some…" Ron began before Esther spoke.

"If the Heir of Slytherin is the only one who could do it, I'm sure unlocking and opening the Chamber would be much more complicated than just a key. Just think about it."

Esther smiled at them before she left them to return to the Slytherin common room.

* * *

Everyone in the common room was preoccupied in their studies, as Esther sat with Draco and some other second years.

Trying to break the silence, Esther spoke. "Seems like I am not the only suspected Heir of Slytherin."

Draco dropped his quill and looked at her. "Really? I thought so, though I doubt that _you _are the Heir of Slytherin. You are friendly with muggle-borns to be one. Tell me, who is also suspected?"

"Well, Harry, Ron, and Hermione have their eye on someone else," said Esther. "Ron, Hermione, and Harry think that you are the Heir of Slytherin."

Draco's initial reaction was surprising then what Esther expected. He broke down laughing, trying to hold on to his chair for support.

"They think I'm the Heir?" Draco said, trying to contain his laughter.

Crabbe and Goyle looked at Draco in concern, thinking that he would stop breathing from the hard laughing Draco was having.

"Yes, they do," Esther answered.

It took a minute for Draco to contain himself. After he did, he became serious.

"Really? Potter, Weasley, and Granger think I am the Heir? What possessed them to think that?" Draco asked.

"After you said something when Filch's cat was attacked and the fact that your family has been in Slytherin for generations," said Esther.

"My family is not the only one that has been in Slytherin for centuries. My mum's family was in Slytherin for generations, though she had a cousin that was sorted into Gryffindor," said Draco. "So has Crabbe and Goyle's family."

"Well, I told them that too," said Esther.

"The school has gone to the dogs anyway," said Malfoy. "Most of the school thinks you are the Heir of Slytherin because your father is the Dark Lord while Saint Potter and his friends think it is me because we hate each other."

"Are you going to tell people?" Crabbe asked him.

"No. Might as well torture Potter and his friends into thinking that I am," said Draco.

* * *

**Reviews are welcome.**


	31. The Interesting Quidditch Match

**Read on.**

* * *

Since the disastrous episode of the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not bought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes reenacted some of the more dramatic bits. Since he usually picked Harry to help him in his reconstructions, Esther felt sympathy for her cousin. Draco told her that he would rather suffer a slug-burping hex then take part in the reenactments.

"You want to bet that he really didn't do all that stuff he says he does," Esther told Draco one day during class when Lockhart was reenacting his defeat of a werewolf.

"Makes sense to me," Draco told her. "He is a blond pansie after all."

Esther hated to admit it, but she felt a sense of kinship to Draco Malfoy. She probably thought that it was because she sat next to him at almost every class.

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet.

"Homework – compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of _Magical Me_ to the author of the best one!"

"Like I want to," Esther muttered as she left the classroom. She saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione gather in the back, which struck to her as suspicious.

Esther headed towards the library for study time. She did not care much for the poem that Lockhart assigned. However, she wanted it to be good in order to pass the class.

As Esther sat with a group of Slytherins and Ravenclaws, she saw Harry and his friends head to the Restricted section. Full of curiosity and suspicion, she left her seat and peered to where Harry and his friends were at. She saw Hermione look at a slip as well as look through the bookshelves until she saw Hermione pull a old moldy book from the shelf. Esther caught a glimpse of the title before Hermione hid it from view. The title read _Moste Potente Potions_.

"What are you looking at?" Esther asked them.

"Nothing, we are just browsing," Ron answered, knowing it was in vain.

"Really, in the Restricted Section?" Esther asked them. "Something tells me that you are cooking up something."

Esther looked at them before heading back to her seat.

When Esther was out of earshot, Hermione sighed in relief.

"That was close," said Hermione.

"I think Esther should know," Harry said. "We can trust her with it."

"Really, the last thing we want her to do is for her to go to Snape and tell him that we are breaking about fifty school rules," said Hermione. "Remember when she told him that we thought he was trying to steal the Stone and kill you, and she happened to be right about him not being the one responsible?"

Harry knew that Hermione had a point, though he thought Esther should know as well. If Esther knew their plan to sneak into the Slytherin common room, Harry and Ron wouldn't need Hermione to come with them. In fact, Harry asked Hermione if they could ask Esther to ask Malfoy if he is the Heir and Hermione said 'no' as she feared that Draco would lie to Esther about it. Ron had no idea how they were going to sneak into the Slytherin Common Room as Crabbe and Goyle, with Esther Dursley in Slytherin House, as she might see flaws.

At dinner, the Slytherins were restless. The next day was the first Quidditch game of the season and Marcus Flint was confident that Slytherin would win due to the fastest brooms that gold can buy and a new seeker.

"Mum and father are coming to watch me play too," Draco said. "Father says that if Slytherin wins, he'll give me an additional twenty galleons in my allowance."

That was the last thing Esther wanted, was Lucius Malfoy viewing the match. She wouldn't mind seeing Draco's mother, but his father was a horrible, different story.

* * *

That Saturday morning, Esther woke up early unable to sleep. She didn't know how to approach her cousin if Gryffindor lost the match.

After breakfast, Esther and the other Slytherins not in the Quidditch match headed to the Slytherin common room to prepare for the game. As Esther sat in the common room waiting to be led to the stadium, she saw Snape heading towards her in the common room.

"Come, Ms. Dursley," Snape told her. "Might as well get to the stadium early before the crowd forms."

An confused Esther followed Snape to the stadium, wondering why he asked her to come along until she saw the Slytherin Quidditch team gathered together, some with their parents who came to watch.

Esther saw Draco, clad in his green Quidditch uniform, with his parents, as his mother handed him a canteen full of water.

"Ah, there they are," Lucius said, seeing Snape and Esther approach them.

"Good morning, Lucius," Snape greeted him as they shook hands.

"I see you have bought Esther Dursley here, just as I wished," said Lucius as he looked at Esther. That statement really raised the hairs on the back of her neck. She somehow had got that creepy vibe that did not feel good at all.

"I would like to introduce you to my wife, Narcissa," Lucius gestured to the woman Esther saw with Draco at Flourish and Blotts a year before.

"Good to meet you, Esther," Narcissa said to Esther as she took her hand to shake it. "Draco here has told some good things about you?"

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Malfoy," Esther greeted back.

Narcissa pulled out an small tin of sweets from her pocket and gave it to Esther. "Here is some toffee and caramel," said Narcissa.

Esther knew that Petunia told her not to take anything from strangers and on Halloween before Esther was admitted to Hogwarts, Petunia would examine the candy in case of tampering, but Esther did not want to disappoint Mrs. Malfoy, so she accepted the offer.

"Father, I want to have a picture with Esther before the game," Draco piped up.

"Good idea, Draco," Lucius said. He gestured to someone that carried an camera and Esther was made to have her arm around Draco. The whole situation made her feel stupid.

After the picture was taken, Lucius took Esther aside.

"Draco has written to me and his mother about what has happened over the month," said Lucius. "He wrote that most of the school has overreacted to the fact that your father is the Dark Lord."

"Most people are not talking to me," said Esther, "though I cannot blame them. It is a curse."

"It is not a bad thing to be the child of the most powerful sorcerer that existed," said Lucius, as if she said the unthinkable. "The Dark Lord did many extraordinary things. A shame really that you live with muggles. A child like you deserves better."

Esther remembered hearing from Ron that Lucius claimed to be imperuised by Voldemort to get himself out of a trial and charges and that Ron's father doubted that. By the sounds of it, Arthur Weasley was right to doubt Lucius's claims. If Voldemort did Imperius him, Lucius Malfoy would not be talking about Voldemort like he was a man that did great things.

Lucius took a dark green parcel from his coat and gave it to Esther. "Here is a gift from me and my wife," he said ". I suggest you open it after the match."

When he freed her, Esther ran to the mass of students coming to the stadiums.

"Why did Snape ask you to come early?" Blaise asked her as they climbed into the Slytherin viewing stands.

"I don't know," Esther lied, trying to hide the parcel Lucius Malfoy gave her.

After everyone was seated, the players flew into the field and the game started. As the Gryffindors feared, the superior brooms in possession by the Slytherin team were doing their magic and fifteen minutes into the game, Slytherin was 120 to Gryffindor's 20.

"Slytherin is in the lead," commentated Lee Jordan.

Esther could see Draco zooming around Harry, taunting him and Esther soon saw a bludger go after Harry, who was trying to avoid it.

"That is one rogue bludger," Esther heard a Slytherin first year mutter behind her.

When Harry somehow managed to avoid the bludger, Harry faced Malfoy, as the bludger almost hit him as well.

As they both chased the snitch, Draco and Harry disappeared under the viewing posts. Esther could hear a ruckus, consisting of breaking wood until a few minutes later, she saw Draco being flung into the field, as he have managed to be thrown off from his broomstick. He bounced along the field before falling on the ground, the impact between his legs.

Esther fought hard not to laugh.

It was only just Harry trying to catch the Snitch. The bludger hit him in the arm and Harry was reaching for the Snitch. A few seconds later, he fell on his back in the field. A few minutes, later, Esther heard Lee Jordan commentate, "Harry Potter's got the Snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

Afterwards, Harry was rolling over to avoid the bludger from hitting him. From an distance, Esther saw Hermione point at the bludger, which blew up as a result.

Esther followed the mass of Slytherins into the Quidditch field, but not to see if Draco was alright.

To Esther's annoyance, Lockhart was running to Harry.

"Thank you," Harry told Ron, Harry, and Esther as they ran to his side.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked him, as she and Esther kneeled by Harry's side.

"No. I think my arm is broken," said Harry as Hagrid came to their side.

"Not to worry, Harry," said Lockhart as he kneeled by Harry as well. "I will fix that arm of yours straightaway."

Harry blanched seeing Lockhart.

"No, not you," said Harry.

"Boy doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart before grabbing Harry's broken arm and pointing his wand at it. "Now this won't hurt a bit."

Pointing his wand at Harry's broken arm, Lockhart said, "_Brackium Emendo!_"

After a second, Lockhart lifted Harry's arm and a slushing sound was heard and Harry's arm flopped like a leather glove, causing the group around Harry to react in disgust.

"Yes, well, that can sometimes happen but the point is," said Lockhart, as he bended Harry's boneless hand to his arm, causing the crowd to react more in disgust, ", you can no longer feel any pain, and, very clearly, the bones are not broken."

"Broken? There's no bones left!" Hagrid shouted.

Harry's boneless hand flopped back.

"Much more flexible, though," said Lockhart.

Esther did not know if she could eat dinner without having a sick stomach.

* * *

As Esther, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Neville, Seamus, and the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team stood around Harry's bed at the hospital wing, they could hear Draco moan loudly in pain from across the room.

"Mr. Malfoy, stop making such a fuss," said Madam Pomfrey as she entered the hospital wing. She looked at the group surrounding Draco and said ", You can go."

As she approached the crowd around Harry, Madam Pomfrey said ", Out of my way, out of my way."

As she approached the other side of Harry's bed, Madam Pomfrey said, "You should have been bought straight to me. I can mend bones in a heartbeat, but growing them back…"

"You will be able to, won't you?" Hermione asked her.

"Oh, I'll be able to certainly," said Madam Pomfrey as she opened a bottle of Skele-Grow. "But it'll be painful."

As she poured the Skele-Grow in a cup, Madam Pomfrey said to Harry, "Now you're in for a rough night, Potter. Regrowing bones is a nasty business."

She handed him the cup and as Harry drank the contents, he spat them right out.

"What did you expect? Pumpkin Juice?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she set the cup down.

Esther left the hospital wing to the Slytherin common room, where the Quidditch team were fuming and swearing over their defeat ("Flint! Mind your language around the first years!" Gemma Farley reprimanded him.).

Draco came back to the Slytherin common room a few hours later. He tried to look tough, but he was obviously shaken by the incident on the Quidditch pitch, that he did not talk as much.

While alone in the second year girls' dormitory, Esther placed the dark green parcel that Lucius Malfoy gave her on the bed and slowly untied the golden ribbon keeping it together. After removing the lid, she slowly moved the tissue to see a designer quill pen lying in the tissue.

Esther shoved the box under her bed, not wanting to touch anything that Mr. Malfoy gave her in case he did anything to it.

She hoped that anything would be smooth the next day.

Turns out, it wasn't.

* * *

**R & R**


	32. The Dueling Club

**Enjoy and read on!**

* * *

Esther woke up on Sunday morning to hear that there had been another attack. Colin Creevey, a Gryffindor first year who followed Harry around and tried to take pictures of him, was Petrified and was now in the hospital wing.

"A Mudblood has been attacked," Draco was saying during breakfast. "That made my day."

The attack on Colin Creevey seemed to affect the Gryffindors. Course, he was annoying but they knew he didn't deserve it. The Gryffindor first years avoided Esther more than ever, though Ginny was a exception.

After breakfast, Esther headed to the library for her usual study hour. Once there, she saw Percy and Harry intercept. Harry asked Percy about Ron's whereabouts before the two separated. Full of curiosity, she followed Harry quietly, several paces away.

That seemed to generate a lot of attention, as onlookers had scared look on their faces, as if she might hurt Harry or Petrify him like she "did" Colin Creevey.

She followed him into the bathrooms and when he entered the girls' bathroom, Esther waited outside, to hear anything. She felt guilty for spying on her cousin, but she needed to know what Harry and his friends were up to.

"Harry!" she heard Hermione say. "You gave us a fright – how's your arm?"

"Fine," she heard Harry tell Hermione. From a distance, she heard a sound of bubbles and the smell of steam from a cauldron. Something was up.

"We've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion," Esther heard Ron tell Harry. "We've decided this was the safest place to hide it.

Polyjuice Potion. Esther heard Snape mention it before in class a couple months ago, but why would Harry and his friends need it? It further aroused Esther's suspicions.

Esther heard Harry tell them about Colin Creevey, but Hermione interrupted him.

"We already know – we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided to get going…"

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better," she heard Ron snarl. "Do you know what I think? He was in such a foul mood after the Quidditch match, the he took it out on Colin."

"There's something else," she heard Harry tell them. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."

She heard Harry tell his friends what a house elf told him.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened _before_?" she heard Hermione ask.

"That settles it," she heard Ron say triumphantly. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco to do it."

While Esther tried to hear more of the conversation, she felt a sneeze coming and before she could contain it, she sneezed loud enough that Harry, Ron, and Hermione could hear.

She heard them stop talking in the girls' bathroom and when she heard footsteps, she ran before they could see that she was listening in on them.

* * *

Everything was quiet in the Slytherin common room as Esther and a select group of second years studied around the table. While Goyle was seeing Millicent entertain her cat with a ball of yarn, Esther cleared her throat to get Draco's attention.

"Draco?" she asked him.

"Yes, Dursley?" Draco replied, turning a page of his Charms homework.

"When was your dad born?" she asked.

"October 20th, 1954. Why do you ask?" Draco asked her as he tried to find a answer for the question on the homework that stumped him.

"Your father was a Slytherin, right? Does he know when the Chamber was last opened?" she asked.

"It was first opened in the 1942-1943 school year. Almost a decade before father was born," said Draco. "What has bought this on?"

Esther told him what she heard Harry tell Ron and Hermione and of course, Ron's conclusion that Lucius Malfoy was the one that first opened the Chamber when he was a student at Hogwarts.

"Are they stupid or what?" said Draco, throwing his quill on the table. "My father was not born when the Chamber was first opened. My paternal grandparents were not married yet at the time."

"Who do you think did?" Esther asked him.

"I don't know," Draco said as he shrugged. "I'll write to father about it tomorrow. He might know something. Ask him anything and he'll give you a good answer."

Esther knew that Ron's belief that Lucius Malfoy first opened the Chamber was inconsistent with the dates involved. She knew she was going to have to investigate this further.

* * *

While Harry, Ron, and Hermione were focusing their attention on the Polyjuice Potion they were conjuring besides their accusation of Draco Malfoy, Esther launched an investigation of her own. She would spend hours in the library, researching the Chamber of Secrets and the amount of students that were petrified in the 1942-1943 school year.

In her research, she read that a Slytherin prefect named Thomas Marvolo Riddle jr, was given a trophy for Special Services to the School for catching the culprit.

Now curious to learn more about her biological father, she decided to look at the old school records that were stored in the library. The Hogwarts Alumni for the 1930's and 1940's was old with yellowed pages, but magic preserved the pictures and wording to prevent them from fading.

Seeing the Alumni of that time frame, she saw that besides prefect, her father was also made Head Boy in his seventh year and a member of the Slug Club, an old group of above-and-beyond students ran by former Potions teacher, Horace Slughorn. Seeing the picture of her father as a sixteen year old boy, she compared that picture to the one of him in _Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_.

Comparing the two pictures side by side, Esther wonder how a good looking, teenager of sixteen can become a snake-faced monster in his adulthood.

The fact that Tom Riddle was awarded for Special Services to the school for catching the culprit, she became suspicious due to his actions that happened years afterward. It made sense that he was the Heir of Slytherin at the time, making her the next Heir, but if she was Salazar Slytherin's direct descendant, why did she not discover the Chamber earlier?

Not that she wanted to attack muggle-borns but she felt if she discovered it sooner, she would have raised awareness to the faculty.

* * *

On the second week of December, Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying over at school for Christmas. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther signed her list; they heard that Malfoy was too. For Harry and his friends, it was a very suspicious move, though Esther knew full why Draco was staying over for Christmas.

On the second day of December, Draco got a letter from home. His mother wanted him to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays, saying that there was an expected raid on their manor when the holidays would start and that it would be better for him if he stayed away.

Esther could not drop the subject of what Harry and his friends were up to and what they were going to do with the Polyjuice Potion. Her suspicions mounted on the day in Snape's double Potions class in Thursday.

Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Forty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making waspish remarks about most of the student's work while most of the Slytherins sniggered appreciatively. Draco Malfoy, who was one of Snape's favorite students besides Esther Dursley, kept flickering puffer-fish eyes at Ron and Esther was planning to hit him with a book for doing that, as she knew that he was only doing it so if Ron retaliated so he could get an detention.

Esther's Swelling Solution was far too runny, as her mind was burdened with what she learned as well as the ostracization from most of the students at Hogwarts. Seeing that her Potion was runny, Snape cleared the contents of her cauldron and gave her a piece of paper that would give her a short cut on how to conjure the Swelling Solution.

Before Esther could put her cauldron on the fire, Harry, who was on other side of the room, gestured Esther to duck under her desk. Confused, she did so and after a few seconds, she heard a explosion as well as she saw the potion shower in the classroom. She heard people shrieking as they got splashed with the Swelling Solution as she heard Snape trying to restore calm and order in the classroom.

"Silence! SILENCE!" she heard Snape roar. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a deflating draft – when I found out who did this…"

Esther rose from under desk and tried not to laugh. She watched Draco hurry forward, his head drooping with a weight of a nose like a small watermelon. As half of the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, she saw Hermione slide back in the dungeon, her robes bulging.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out twisted black remains of a Filbuster Firework. There was a sudden hush.

"If I ever find out who did this," Snape whispered, "I shall _make sure _that person is expelled."

Esther saw Snape look at a puzzled looking Harry, though like Snape, she wondered if Harry did it, as he was the one that gestured her to duck under her desk.

However, she kept her mouth shut and never asked Harry about it.

* * *

A week later, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been put up. While Seamus and Dean beckoned Harry and his friends over, looking excited, Tracey and Pansy beckoned to Esther as well, also looking excited.

"Can't you believe it? A Dueling Club!" said Tracey. "The first meeting is tonight! Lockhart is a genius!"

"Dueling will come in handy these days," said Pansy, "though the circumstances are not right."

"Right," Esther muttered.

Esther, Daphne, and Millicent were all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long tables had vanished and a purple stage with golden stars had appeared in the middle of the room.

To Esther's disappointment, it was Lockhart that was teaching them, as Tracey said.

Slung over his shoulder, was a plum cape with a gold lining.

After calming the excited crowd, Lockhart said, "Gather round, gather round. Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?"

He walked to the other end of the table before he continued. "In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves," said Lockhart.

"Like I'll become Petrified," Esther heard Draco mutter. "I'm pure-blood, so this is rather pointless."

"…as I myself I have done on countless occasions," said Lockhart, as he walked down the dueling platform again. "For full details, see my published works."

He unhooked his cape and threw it at the girls who were watching. They gasped in delight as they caught Lockhart's cape.

"Let me introduce my assistant," said Lockhart, "Professor Snape."

Everyone leaned forward as Snape stepped on to the platform and approached Lockhart.

"He has sportingly agreed to help with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear," said Lockhart.

"This will be fun," Draco muttered. "Lockhart will be toast after Professor Snape is finished with him."

They watched as Snape and Lockhart approached each other, wands to their faces, bowed to each other and walked far on opposite ends of the dueling platform.

Lockhart took his time, since after he quietly said, "three," Snape shouted, "_Expelliarmus_!"

Snape pointed his wand at Lockhart, who did a exaggerated yell as the spell hit him, causing him to fall on the ground

Lockhart soon got to his feet and approached Snape. "An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying so, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you, it would have only been too easy."

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, professor," Snape drawled.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape," said Lockhart before facing the students. "Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasley, how about you?"

As Harry ascended to the platform, Snape told Lockhart, ""Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?"

Snape came to Draco and gestured to Draco, who, without hesitation, climbed up to the platform.

Esther watched Draco and Harry approach each other and as their wands touched their faces, she heard them say something to each other, though she couldn't make out the words. As they turned their wands down, both Harry and Draco without bowing first, turned their backs and headed to different ends of the dueling platform.

Once Draco and Harry were a good distance from each other, Lockhart instructed, "Cast your charms to disarm your opponent. Only to disarm. We don't want any accidents here."

Not to Esther's surprise, it was Draco that casted the first spell.

"_Everte Statum_!" Draco shouted. The spell hit Harry, causing him to flip across the platform in the air before falling down on his side.

Harry soon got up, faced Draco and shouted ", _Rictusempra_!"

The spell hit Draco, causing him to spin in the air before he fell flat on his bottom.

Snape pulled Draco up and turned him to face Harry.

"I said disarm only," called Lockhart.

"_Serpensortia_!" Draco shouted. As a result, a snake came from his wand, as it was slithering towards Harry, who was rooted to the spot.

"Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you," Snape said as he walked forward.

"Allow me Professor Snape," said Lockhart before he pointed his wand at the snake. "_Alarte Ascendare_!"

All it did was thrown the snake in the air before it fell back on to the dueling platform.

As Esther saw the snake move towards Justin Finch-Fletchly, who was looking nervous, she heard Harry tell the snake, "Leave him alone!"

The snake looked at Harry before it slithered to Justin once more.

"I said, leave him alone," Harry told the snake.

To Esther, it sounded like normal English, but others around her murmured and casted worried and weirded out glances, like Harry was speaking some kind of weird language.

"I said, leave him alone!" Harry commanded the snake. It looked away from Justin to Harry. A second later, Snape muttered a set of words before he reduced the snake to cinder.

"What are you playing at?" she heard Justin tell Harry before he stormed out of the hall.

Harry looked at both Snape and Lockhart, who were giving him ominous glares.

Esther had a horrible feeling in her stomach of what might happen.

* * *

"I didn't know your cousin was a Parselmouth," Draco told Esther as the Slytherins returned to the common room.

"A what?" Esther asked him, confused.

"He can talk to snakes," Blaise told her.

"Well, that is the second time he has done it," said Esther. "The first time he accidently set a boa constrictor on my brother – though I also accidently freed a reticulated python three years ago – both of them are long stories – but the snake I freed was telling me how it had never seen Albania and I sort of set it free without meaning to – that was before I knew I was a witch…"

"You can speak Parseltongue, too?" asked Draco, his eyes widening in amazement and wonder.

"Well, of course," said Esther.

"That is brilliant," said Crabbe. "All we heard from Potter was that he was speaking some sort of language. Did you understand what he was saying?"

"Harry told the snake not to attack Justin," said Esther.

"From the sounds of it, Potter was egging the snake on," Draco said. "Not that I think he did. He is almost too goody, goody for that type of stuff."

"I'm sure Harry and I are not the only ones who speak it. There must be plenty of others who have that ability as well," said Esther.

Draco looked at the others surrounding him and said. "Well. They can't," said Draco. "It's not a very common gift. Most students see it as a dark art, while it just has a bad reputation. I don't know why people think it is a dark art if you are born with it."

"Not common?" Esther asked. "And a dark art?"

"There is a reason why the symbol of our Hogwarts house is a serpent," Blaise told her. "Salazar Slytherin could talk to snakes too, which he was famous for."

"Not to mention _You-Know-Who _had that ability also," said Daphne.

"Must be that the both of them are related," Esther said.

"Well, come to think of it, it makes sense," said Draco, "as those with Parseltongue have to be directly descended from Salazar Slytherin, which makes you the next Heir. Why didn't you discover the Chamber when you first arrived here?"

* * *

By next morning, there was a blizzard so thick that the last Herbology lesson of the term was canceled. Draco mused over this, as he could have some free time in the Slytherin common room. Esther traveled to the library to do her Transfiguration homework.

As Esther walked through the dungeons to head to the library, she passed by Professor Snape's classroom. Professor Snape was scolding someone who, by the sound of it, had put too much lavender sprigs in her cauldron.

When she entered the library, she saw Ernie, Hannah, and Susan sitting together at one table, while Ginny was sitting at the one across from them, writing in a small, black, leather book.

"Hello, Esther," Ernie greeted her as she came near them.

"You don't mind if I join you?" she asked.

"No, we don't mind," said Hannah.

Esther joined the Hufflepuffs at the table. She felt like she stood out, being the only Slytherin in the group among three Hufflepuffs.

"Well. That was interesting last night," Ernie said. "For a moment there, I thought Potter was going to kill Justin. You heard him last night, did you, Esther?"

"What did you hear?" she asked him, turning to her homework.

"It sounded like snake language and from the sound of it, he was egging the snake on," said Ernie.

"Well, it sounded like normal English to me," said Esther. "I understood what he was saying."

The other Hufflepuffs turned white at her answer.

"You speak Parseltongue?" Hannah asked in a hushed frightened voice.

"Yes, but that does not make me the Heir either, as I might have inherited it from my… you know, my biological father," said Esther.

"We don't think you are the Heir," said Ernie. "It is weird though. What was he saying?"

"He told the snake to leave Justin alone," said Esther.

Ernie Macmillian didn't believe her though. He thought of telling her his view about it before he changed his mind. _She is in no danger. She is mostly pure-blood and a Slytherin, so she is safe from any threat posed by Potter_, he thought.

Esther continued her studies, as she heard Ernie and the other three Hufflepuffs were talking.

"So anyway," Ernie said to Hannah and Susan, "I told Justin to hide up in our dormitory. I mean to say, if Potter's marked him down as his next victim, it's best if he keeps a low profile for a while. Of course, Justin's been waiting for something like this to happen ever since he let it slip to Potter he was Muggle-born. Justin actually _told_ him he'd been down for Eton. That's not the kind of thing you bandy about with Slytherin's heir on the loose, is it?"

Trying to leave, Esther said, "Well, I'll get going. I forgot I was going to see Snape about my Potions homework."

"Okay. Take care," Hannah told her as Esther left the Hufflepuffs. Esther soon saw Harry in the library, who was listening in on Ernie's conversation.

"You heard me, last night?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I heard you. You were not egging the snake on," said Esther. "Just take care."

Esther left Harry in the library before she made her way to the Slytherin common room.

* * *

**R & R**


	33. An Odd Occurrence

**Read on**

* * *

The next morning, Esther learned that Justin Finch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick were attacked as well. The nervousness turned to real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people the most. What could possibly do that to a ghost? People asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that the students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told Harry, Hermione, and Esther. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays too.

Since Harry's encounter with the snake, almost all the negativity that was directed at Esther was now directed at Harry. While Esther was also a possible Heir, most of the school had Harry on their minds. Esther was _obviously_ not the one who spoke to the snake and attacked those people. People who once turned on Esther now instead turned on Harry, forgetting about their accusation against Esther altogether.

Esther was glad that she was now mostly invisible like she was before (except to the Slytherins), but she did not like all the negativity that was directed on Harry.

While Fred and George thought it was ludrocrise and joked about it, she felt like it was no laughing matter. Their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw it.

"The more they do it, they'll end up Petrified like the rest," said Draco. "Bad things happened to people who joke over stuff like this."

* * *

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Esther found it peaceful as before and enjoyed the fact that she, Blaise, Daphne, and even Draco had the run of the Slytherin dungeon, which meant they could play Gobstones without arousing the attention of others. Marcus Flint stayed over as his parents were abroad in Greece visiting a relative while Gemma Farley, who could not tolerate the childish behavior of others, didn't spend a lot of time in the Slytherin common room. She had already told them that the only reason she was staying over Christmas because it was her duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this troubled time.

"That's what Percy said," said Ron one day when he, Harry, Hermione, and Esther were gathered in the library. "Gemma is a nightmare. She tries to stop every misbehavior she sees, regardless of Hogwarts House. I'm sure she and Percy would make a good couple."

"At least she is not biased," said Harry. "I will miss her when she graduates. I don't know her personally, but at least she is a fair Slytherin prefect."

"Charlie said once that if you encounter a Slytherin prefect that is fair, he encourages to enjoy it, as the next Slytherin prefect might abuse their authority and be biased towards their house," said Ron. "Bill said that fair Slytherin prefects are rare."

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Esther and Daphne soon woke up from their beds to see their presents at the foot of their beds like last year. From Petunia, Esther received a wool skirt as well as a cardigan sweater, a twenty pound note from Aunt Marge, and from Mrs. Weasley, she received a new, hand-knitted sweater and a large plum pudding. After Esther opened her other gifts, she noticed one that stood out.

It was a dark green parcel, tied together with a golden ribbon and on the tag, were the golden words _to Esther Volkov from Mrs. Malfoy_.

Curious why Draco's mother gave her a gift, she opened the parcel to see a expensive, store-bought sweater, like it came from a wizarding shop catering to the wealthy.

"That was nice," said Esther. She did not know why Draco's mother bothered to send her a sweater, though it occurred to her why. She felt like the Malfoy's wanted to be what the Weasley's were to Harry: a second family.

All because of former loyalty and connections to Voldemort, and it made Esther rather uncomfortable.

* * *

Esther, who had no idea about the events that will transpire soon in the Slytherin common room, could not fail to enjoy the Christmas feast at Hogwarts.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe crisscrossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favorite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Gemma did not notice that two of the Slytherin first years, the Mulciber twins, Alexia and Alexander, who were notorious pranksters, stuck two beetles in her beef broth. Esther saw that Draco was making loud remarks about his sweater.

"You got one too?" Draco asked her, seeing her wear something similar to him.

"Yes. Tell your mom I said thank you," Esther told him.

"I told her you were staying over too, and she wanted to get you a Christmas present. I'm sure you got other presents anyway."

When Esther and Draco were finished with their second helping of pudding, Draco left the table to use the toilet leaving Esther alone by herself, as she tried to stay away from Crabbe and Goyle, who were stuffing their mouths with pudding.

Esther looked at Gryffindor table, to see what Harry and his friends were up to.

She saw them looking closely at each other and she caught the words from Ron, "Who's hair are you plucking out then?"

"I already got mine," she heard Hermione tell them as she showed a phial. "Millicent Bulstrode – Slytherin. I took these from her robes."

From what Esther knew, Millicent left Hogwarts for the holidays, her cat in tow, as her parents wanted her home for Christmas due to what was happening at Hogwarts, despite the fact that the Bulstodes were pure-blood (though one of her uncles married an Muggle woman). Esther wondered why Hermione plucked some hairs from Millicent's robes and she had a terrible feeling that Hermione picked the cat hairs instead.

Esther remained in the Great Hall while Blaise and Daphne left in favor for the fires in the Slytherin common room. After Esther finished her helping of trifle, she left the Great Hall to join Blaise and Daphne at the Slytherin common room.

There she, Blaise, Daphne, and a fellow Slytherin second year, named Theodore Nott, sat at the round table, reading.

"Have you seen Crabbe and Goyle?" Draco asked her, as he left the second years boys dormitory.

"No. They still must be in the Great Hall," said Esther.

"Pigging out again? I'll find them," said Draco. "I want to show them something funny."

Esther knew that Draco's definition of _funny_ was different from hers and she did not have a good feeling about it.

A few minutes later, she heard the door to the common room slide open and she turned to see Draco, followed by a confused looking Crabbe and Goyle into the common room. The way they acted, it was like they were entering the Slytherin common room for the _first_ time.

"Wait here," Draco told them, motioning them to the green wrap around couch, which to Esther's confusion, they sat on rather hesitantly. Crabbe and Goyle were usually comfortable in their common room, so why were they acting hesitant?

"I'll go and get it – my father's just sent it to me…" Draco said to them before he ran into the boys' dormitory. As Crabbe and Goyle shifted in their seats, they both saw Esther staring them, like they thought she might expose them for something.

What was going on here?

Draco came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. "Dursley, come here," Draco told her.

Hesitantly, she followed Draco to the wrap around couch and she was baffled to see Crabbe's face look at her, like she might tell on him for something.

Something was up with a capital U.

As Esther sat on the other end of the couch, Draco thrusted the letter under Crabbe's nose.

"That'll give you a laugh," Draco told him.

Esther saw Crabbe's eyes widen in shock, something that surprised her. He read the clipping quickly, gave a laugh that Esther thought was forced, before he handed the clipping to Goyle.

Goyle looked like he didn't know what to think as he read the clipping and then handed it over to Draco, who handed the clipping to Esther to read. It had been clipped out of the _Daily Prophet _and said:

**INQUIRY AT MINISTRY OF MAGIC**

_Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, was today fined fifty Galleons for bewitching a Muggle car._

_Mr. Lucius Malfoy, a governor of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the enchanted car crashed earlier this year, called today for Mr. Weasley's resignation._

"_Weasley has bought the Ministry into disrepute," Mr. Malfoy told our reporter. "He is clearly unfit to draw up our laws and his ridiculous Muggle Protection Act should be scrapped immediately."_

_Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she'd set the family ghoul on them._

"Well?" said Draco impatiently as Esther handed him back the clipping, unamused before scooting a bit farther away from Draco. "Don't youthink it's funny?"

"Ha, ha," said Goyle bleakly.

"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them," said Draco scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasleys pure-bloods, the way they behave. They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world. All of them"

Esther saw Crabbe's face contort with fury. To Esther, that seemed rather out-of-character, as Crabbe was joyful enough to partake in Draco's taunts about those he hated.

"What's wrong with you, Crabbe?" snapped Draco.

"Stomachache," said Crabbe.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Draco, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the _Daily Prophet _hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. Father's always said that Dumbledore was the worst thing that's ever happened to this place."

"You're wrong!" shouted Goyle. It shocked Esther greatly. Having observed him, she knew that it would be the last thing he would say.

Draco seemed to notice too, as he stood up and addressed the two. "What? You think there's someone here who's worse than Dumbledore?"

Crabbe furiously shook his head.

"Well? Do you?" Draco demanded.

"Harry Potter?" Goyle suggested.

Crabbe soon slightly nodded.

It took Draco a second to digest what Goyle said, before saying, "Good one, Goyle. You're absolutely right. Saint Potter. And people actually think that he's the Heir of Slytherin?"

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other before Goyle spoke again.

"But you must have some idea who's behind it all."

"You know I don't, Goyle," said Draco as he approached a table. "I told you yesterday"

Draco sat on the end table as he held a small green package. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Draco shook the box and asked him, "Is this yours?"

Goyle shook his head 'no'. In fact, it _was _Goyle's. He had put the small package aside earlier that morning. Seeing Goyle respond 'no', sparked Esther's suspicions. If this was really Harry and Ron who were disguising as Crabbe and Goyle by Polyjuice Potion to worm a 'confession' out of Draco, she would have a long talk with them.

The thought came to her head. No wonder why they were brewing Polyjuice Potion. Though, she had to prove it.

Draco shrugged as he slipped the box in his pocket.

"But my father did say this: It's been fifty years since the Chamber was opened. He wouldn't tell me who opened it. Only that they were expelled. The last time, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood died. So it's only a matter of time before one of them is killed this time. As for me, I hope it's Granger," Draco told them.

Then Crabbe did something which Esther thought was _**really**_ out-of-character. He actually lunged at Draco, though Goyle had to restrain him.

"What's the matter with you two?" Draco asked. "You're acting very odd."

"It's medicine for his stomachache," Goyle explained before he turned to Crabbe and whispered to him, "Calm down."

Esther, asking questions in her head, left the couches to where she was previously until she heard Draco's voice rang out.

"Hey! Where are you going?" she heard Draco shout after Crabbe and Goyle, who were running up the stone steps to leave the Slytherin common room.

Esther looked at the entrance of the Slytherin common room, where Draco was looking at, a bewildered look on his face, as he held a small pocket watch.

"They acted odd," said Draco. "Did you notice it too, Dursley?"

"Yes," said Esther.

"Could be the food I ate," said Draco. "Well, I'm going to go read."

"You want me to find them?" Esther offered.

"Please, do," Draco encouraged. "I want a explanation for their odd behavior."

Esther nodded before leaving the Slytherin common room.

* * *

The corridors were dark as she traveled through them in search of the _real_ Crabbe and Goyle and she tried to avoid Percy whenever she saw him.

As she was leaving the dungeons, she saw Crabbe and Goyle appear before her, rubbing their heads in confusion.

"There you are," Esther said as she approached them. "Where were you two?"

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged confused looks before Crabbe replied.

"Well, we were going to smuggle sweets to the Slytherin common room when we saw two cupcakes levitating. We thought someone left them there by accident, so Goyle and I ate them. Someone must have tampered with them, as we got knocked out. Later, we found ourselves in the closet," said Crabbe.

Esther raised her eyebrow and she said, "I believe you. Come, Draco is waiting."

Before they left to the common room, Esther told them, "If Draco mentions anything of showing you something that you do not remember, just go along with it."

Crabbe and Goyle shared clueless expressions as they followed her into the Slytherin common room.

* * *

As Hermione was taken to the hospital wing as she accidently drank a Polyjuice Potion that actually had the hairs from Millicent Bulstrode's cat, Harry and Ron walked into the Gryffindor common room.

"You do not think Esther knew?" asked Ron. "She gave us weird looks the entire time we were there, like she knew it was not Crabbe and Goyle."

Harry thought for a moment before he spoke.

"She knows Crabbe and Goyle more than we do, so I think we acted out of character," said Harry. "I was afraid we would be given away when you lunged at Malfoy."

"I was furious of what he said about Hermione," said Ron. "He actually wants her dead. I couldn't help myself."

"I'm sure Esther noticed it was us when you lunged at Malfoy," said Harry. "She seemed to be suspicious of what we were planning. I think she overheard our conversation in the bathroom."

"We should have asked her to have Malfoy talk instead of pretending to be Crabbe and Goyle and Hermione would not be in the hospital wing," said Ron. "She does not have the beef we have with Malfoy."


	34. The Secret Diary

**Enjoy!**

Esther's belief that Ron and Harry smuggled themselves into the Slytherin common room as Crabbe and Goyle were confirmed when she heard that Hermione was in the hospital wing. After breakfast at the Slytherin table, she met up with Harry and Ron outside the Great Hall.

"So, it was you two," Esther told them.

"Please, don't tell Snape. We wanted to see for ourselves if Malfoy was Heir, so that's why we disguised ourselves at Crabbe and Goyle," said Ron frantically.

"I'm not telling," said Esther. "If Hermione was in the hospital wing, she must have picked the wrong hair of Millicent Bulstrode's robes."

"Why didn't you tell us she had a cat?" asked Ron.

"Because the three of you refused to tell me what you were up to," said Esther.

"It was Hermione's idea," said Harry.

"Honestly, I didn't know how we were going to get a word out from Malfoy with you there," admitted Ron. "You must know them more than we do."

"As a matter of fact, I do," said Esther.

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumors about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to get a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face.

Draco, feeling mean spirited like always, wanted to see Hermione "to tell her to get well," and Esther had to distract him with homework.

Harry, Ron, and Esther visited her every evening. When the new term started, they bought her each day's homework. Esther's visits were not long, as she didn't know if she could stop herself from laughing when she saw Hermione's cat-ified form.

In the end of January, she was at the library when she saw Harry and Ron look at a small, black leather book, which was exactly identical to the one she saw Ginny write in the day after Harry's encounter with the snake.

She saw Ron beckon her forward and she went their direction, curious as to what they were looking at now.

"Ron and I found this in the bathroom yesterday," Harry told her, handing her the book, "Nothing is written in it, though we hope you might see what he wrote."

Esther took a look at the cover before she looked at the back of the book. At the bottom were the words Tom Marvolo Riddle. Harry and Ron looked surprised as she dropped the book before she hastily picked it up.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked her.

"Yes, Ron," said Esther. "It just slipped out of my hand."

She looked at the small book once more. If it had her father's name on it, he must have owned the diary. As she sifted through the pages, she noticed that they were devoid of writing, which disappointed her, as she was looking for a confession that he opened the Chamber of Secrets.

She handed it back, and said, "Tom Riddle. What have you found out about him?"

"Well, we know that he got a award for Special Services to the school," said Harry. "We do not know why."

"I have done some research on the Chamber last term to learn that he received the reward for catching the culprit who opened the Chamber back in the forties," Esther said. "He was also a prefect at the time."

"That reminds me of Percy," Ron said, full of sorrow.

"Is anything a matter, Esther?" Harry asked her.

"Nothing," Esther lied before she left the library.

Esther regretted not going back to the library and retrieving the book from Ron and Harry, as it might be filled with some sort of Dark Magic, so she could have Dumbledore confiscate it if it belonged to her father.

At the beginning of February, Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free. Harry and his friends were trying to solve the mystery of the diary of Tom Riddle. According to Harry, since the book was from Vauxhall Road, Tom Riddle must have been Muggle-born, a fact that Esther doubted.

Thomas Riddle was more of a Muggle-name, but since her father had that name, not to imagine the possible relation to Salazar Slytherin, Esther assumed that he was part muggle, part pure-blood, in other words, a half-blood.

Ever since Harry's possession of Tom Riddle's diary, there had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearley Headless Nick and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to say that the mandrakes were past childhood.

Perhaps the Heir of Slytherin was losing his or her nerves, thought Esther, as did Harry. It must be getting riskier and riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster, whatever it was, was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years…

Ernie Macmillian of Hufflepuff didn't take this cheerful view. He was still convinced that Harry was the guilty one, that he had "given himself away" at the Dueling club.

Esther, aside from her thoughts of the Heir retiring, a disturbing thought came to the back of her mind. She noticed that ever since Harry was in possession of the diary, the attacks had stopped. Was the diary a important piece that would open the Chamber? Or were the attacks related to it?

Much to Esther's disdain, Gilderoy Lockhart had seemed to think that he himself had the attacks stop.

"He has done nothing," Blaise said. "The attacks started when he came here, so why would they stop if he was here?"

"Do you actually care for Mudbloods, Zabani?" Draco asked him.

"As you say, Mudbloods are the dirt beneath our shoes," said Blaise. "But I do not wish death on them."

"Worse of all, Lockhart is planning a morale booster," Esther told them, blocking out Blaise's diatribe. "I hate to see what it is."

Unfortunately, Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February fourteenth, Valentine's Day. When Esther and Daphne walked through the doors at the Great Hall that morning, they thought for a moment that they walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Esther went over to the Slytherin table, where Draco was already sitting, looking sickened and Pansy had been overcome with giggles.

"What is going on?" Esther asked them, sitting down as she wiped the confetti off her bacon.

Draco pointed to the teacher's table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to the match the decorations ("What is he? A pansy? Men don't wear pink!" she heard Adrian Pucey yell from across the table), was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, Esther saw that Snape looked as if someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Grow.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And I may thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all – and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your Valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've met, the sly dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

"I have officially lost my appetite," said Esther, moving her plate away from her.

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines, much to the annoyance of the teachers, and after lunch, as the Slytherins made their way to Potions, one of the dwarfs caught up with Esther.

"Oy, you! 'Sther Dursley!" shouted a particularly grim-looking dwarf, elbowing people out of the way to get to Esther.

Feeling humiliated at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of Slytherins, which happened to include Draco Malfoy, Esther tried to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people's shins, and reached her before she'd gone two paces.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Sther Dursley in person," he said, twanging his harp.

"No! Not here!" Esther yelled, trying to escape.

"Stay still!" grunted the dwarf, who was grabbing a hold of Esther's bag and pulling her back.

"Let me go!" Esther shouted before she managed to break free.

Esther scrambled up and tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized her around the ankles and bought her crashing to the floor.

"Right," he said, sitting on her ankles. "Here's your musical valentine."

_Hair black as night_

_Eyes the color of warm chocolate_

_Let her be mine_

_The daughter of the Dark Lord_

There was a sudden hush in the crowd before the corridor erupted in laughter. Esther, who wished to evaporate on the spot, ran to the safety of the Potions classroom, her hair untidy from her struggle.

"I don't think she liked your valentine that much, did she, Malfoy?" Crabbe asked him.

Draco blushed and hid in the crowd.

Later that day, Harry was subjected to the same humiliation, only his valentine was much worse than hers, resulting in his books being splashed with ink when he tried to break free. The fact that her valentine stated that she was the daughter of Voldemort gave the students a laugh, more like morbid humor.

Esther went to bed before anyone else in her dormitory that night, mainly because she didn't think she could stand to hear Alexia and Alexander Mulciber singing, "Eyes the color of warm chocolate" one more time.

Esther knew one thing.

She had hated Valentines Day.


	35. The Return of the Heir

**Read on.**

* * *

The next morning, Harry shocked Esther by saying that he knew that Hagrid was the one who first opened the Chamber.

"Who told you?" Esther asked, surprised and shocked that Harry would make such a accusation.

Harry showed her Tom Riddle's diary and said ", I wrote in it and he replied and showed me the information."

"The diary wrote back?" Esther asked, frightened that a piece of father was contacting Harry.

"Yes," said Harry. "Seems neat."

Esther shocked Harry by running the other direction.

What was it about Tom Riddle that put Esther on edge? Did she know something about him that Harry did not? Harry guessed it was because she was getting hormonal and was overreacting to things more than usual.

In fact, Esther was becoming more moody and emotional. Seeing her fuss over an ink blot on her parchment packet, Draco asked out loud if she started her period. Furious and embarrassed, she chased Draco down the corridors, wielding her Oxford dictionary, threatening to hit him with it.

Puberty aside, Esther started investigating after overhearing Harry and his friends talk about Hagrid's fascination of monsters and the fact that a piece of her father could have inhabited the diary.

Esther browsed the list of books that were in the Restricted Section and have managed to get Snape's permission to check one book out, as she wanted to see what her father could have done to have a piece of himself in a object.

Esther decided to make her investigation a secret from the others, as it sparked suspicion with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as Hermione saw her leave the Restricted Section and putting a book in her bag.

"Why was Esther in the Restricted Section?" Ron asked Hermione.

"I'm sure it's nothing. She could be looking for answers as well about the Chamber," said Hermione.

"But why would she go to the Restricted Section for it?" Ron asked.

It had now been nearly four months since Justin and Nearly Headless Nick had been Petrified, and nearly everybody seemed to think the attacker, whoever it was, had retired for good. Ernie Macmillian asked Harry quite politely to pass a bucket of leaping toadstools. What made Madam Sprout happy was that the Mandrakes were almost fully grown.

One night, Esther poured over the books that she checked out in the library, trying to find information. She turned pages covering how to curse objects 'till she came across a page that glued her interest:

_Horcruxes is a act of magic in which the individual takes a piece of their soul and preserves it in a object or living thing to keep that fragment safe. This prevents a proper death and if the individual "dies", they will remain in a phantom state until they are given the rudimentary and the regeneration potions to get their body back. The only way for a individual to split their soul, they have to commit the ultimate crime: murder. _

White as a sheet, Esther sat back. Was the diary a horcrux? She knew she was too young to know this, but her adult-like interest and curiosity always went ahead of her. She knew that it was possible that the diary was a horcrux, as it could reply to Harry and the fact that her father was a phantom when he resided in Quirrell's body, followed by Dumbledore's statement that there were ways that Voldemort can come back.

The whole thing creeped her out to be honest. She could not imagine what would drive a person to murder others to split their soul.

* * *

The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Esther, like Hermione, took very seriously.

"This might help us with our future," she told Draco and his lackeys as they poured over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.

Draco signed up for Divination, Care for Magical Creatures ("Not that I want to. I might happen to find a creature that will scare Weasley," he said, explaining his choice to his surprised lackeys), and Ancient Runes.

Like they always do, Crabbe and Goyle signed up for the classes that Draco chose and Esther, to her surprise, followed their lead, except that she chose Muggle studies instead of Ancient Runes ("What? I want to see Muggles from a wizarding perspective. I also want to bone up on Muggle history, as I live with Muggles," Esther told a puzzled Draco Malfoy).

* * *

The day of the Quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, began idyllic as you can think, though Harry did talk about someone breaking into his dormitory and taking the diary of Tom Riddle.

Esther privately assumed that it was a good thing and she knew that if Harry had one more contact with a piece of her father's soul, she would take the diary to Dumbledore.

The day was perfect for Quidditch conditions, as Draco whined about Slytherin not winning the first match. After breakfast, Esther was about to descend to the dungeons when she heard that voice again –

"_Kill this time…let me rip…tear…_"

Esther caught her breath before descending the dungeons to prepare for the game.

* * *

However, the fun stopped as it started. As soon as the Gryffindor team was about to fly into the stadium, Professor McGonagall announced that the game was canceled and that everyone must return to their common room where their head of houses will give further information.

"What happened?" Blaise asked out loud as all the Slytherins left the stadium.

"Could be that someone died or got Petrified," said Draco in response. "I'm hoping that whatever it was killed Granger."

Esther wanted to do the tongue-tying jinx on Draco for that remark, but she couldn't help but think. When Harry lost the diary, the attacks started again.

She knew that something malicious lay in the diary besides her father's soul.

* * *

"All students will return to their House common room by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Slytherins packed inside the common room listened to Professor Snape in silence. He rolled up the parchment from which he had been reading and said, maintaining his usual monotone, "If these attacks continue, Headmaster Dumbledore will have no choice but to close the school. If any of you, has any information about the attacker, come forward."

He ascended the stone steps to leave the common room and the Slytherins began talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting their house ghost, one Ravenclaw and one Hufflepuff," said a Slytherin third year, named Alphias King, counting his fingers. "What will we do if one of us gets Petrified or killed? The school will close."

"I doubt the Heir will target anyone in Slytherin, King," Draco replied. "We are safe."

"Well, Malfoy. Muggle-borns can get in Slytherin, but when it does, it's rare," Gemma explained. "Look at the Aniston twins. They have no wizarding parents but from what I heard they are topping their classes. They were sorted into Slytherin when they arrived this school year."

From what Esther heard in the rumors, Hermione Granger and the Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater, were found Petrified and Hermione was found with a mirror in her hand.

Esther hoped that they would find the attacker soon, or better yet, the owner of Tom Riddle's diary.

* * *

Cornelius Oswald Fudge was not a happy man. He had just finished writing a note to Dumbledore telling him that he would be there to take Hagrid to Azkaban for precautionary measures that very evening.

Five attacks on Muggle-borns and Fudge knew that the Ministry had to act.

While Hagrid was one of the suspects, Fudge also had an unlikely suspect as well.

Hagrid was expelled for opening the Chamber, while in reality, Tom Riddle, who would later become Lord Voldemort, opened the Chamber, attacking six students and killing one. Fudge knew that Voldemort's daughter, Esther Lorelei Volkov, was in her second year of Hogwarts. Fudge didn't want to believe a girl of twelve for doing something like this, but he knew anything could be possible.

Fudge shook the thought away. It was impossible for a twelve year old girl to commit such grisly acts. Anyways, it wouldn't really be wise if he took a girl out of school when term was about to end, though he was going to advise Dumbledore to watch her closely, just in case.

* * *

**Thoughts so far?**


	36. Peace at Last

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Two days after the attack on Hermione and Penelope, by Monday morning, news spread about Dumbledore's suspension and Hagrid's removal.

"I'm glad that are gone," Draco said that Monday morning. "Father says that Dumbledore was the worst thing that ever happened to this place."

"I know, Draco," said Esther. "We know. Being suspended is different than being sacked, mark my words."

Draco pouted at her words but didn't say anything to her words.

Soon, summer was sweeping over the grounds around the castle; sky and lake alike turned periwinkle blue and flowers as large as cabbages burst into bloom in the greenhouses. But with no Hagrid visible from the castle windows, striding the grounds with Fang at his side, the scene felt strange to Esther, yet she had a creepily eerie feeling that she somehow was responsible for his absence.

Inside of the castle, things were so horribly wrong.

Harry, Ron, and Esther tried to visit Hermione, but visitors were now barred from the hospital wing.

"We're taking no chances," Madam Pomfrey told them severely through a crack in the infirmary door. "No, I'm sorry, there's every chance the attacker might come back to finish these people off…"

With Dumbledore gone, fear had spread as never before, so that the sun warming the castle walls outside seemed to stop at the mullioned windows. There was barely a face to be seen in the school that didn't look worried or tense, and any laughter that rang through the corridors sounded shrill and unnatural and was quickly stifled.

Even the Slytherins were nervous and scared by the situation. Gemma Farely would spend her time calming the first years, especially the very few who were either half-blood or muggle-borns, who were so scared of being the next victim.

"Why won't the Mudbloods of Slytherin just pack their bags? Then they would not have to worry," Draco commented one day.

Esther threatened Draco that if he made the same comment again, she would tie his tongue.

Draco backed down and never said it again.

As for Draco, he seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere of terror and suspicion and he was strutting around the school as though he had just been appointed as Head Boy. Esther, who couldn't stand it, tried to block out every word he said until the Potions lesson about two weeks after Dumbledore and Hagrid had left, when sitting right next to Draco, while Harry was sitting behind him, heard him gloating to Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting near them.

"I always thought Father might be the one who got rid of Dumbledore," he said, not troubling to keep his voice down. "I told you he thinks Dumbledore's the worst headmaster the school's ever had. Maybe we'll get a decent headmaster now. Someone who won't _want _the Chamber of Secrets closed. McGonagall won't last long, she's only filling in…"

As Esther focused on her work, she shot dirty looks at Draco, which increasingly looked dark every time she shot him a dirty look, that it even scared Ron who was sitting right behind her.

Snape swept past Harry, making no comment about Hermione's empty seat and cauldron.

"Sir," said Draco loudly. "Sir, why don't_ you_ apply for the headmaster's job?"

"Now, now, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape. "Professor Dumbledore has only been suspended by the governors. I daresay he'll be back with us soon."

Before Draco could speak, Esther silenced him by raising her palm and said to Snape, "Thank you, Professor. A suspension is not the same as being sacked."

"That's correct, Ms. Dursley," said Snape. "I shall award you ten points to Slytherin for pointing that out to Mr. Malfoy."

Draco looked upset about Esther's clarification and he scowled at Ron and Harry who were snickering in their amusement over Esther correcting Malfoy.

"I'm quite surprised that the Mudbloods haven't all packed their bags by now," said Draco, trying recover from his fall from grace. "Bet you five Galleons the next one dies. Pity it wasn't Granger – OUCH!"

Esther, furious by his wish of someone to die, did not hesitate to roll up a piece of parchment and whacked him in the head with it.

The bell rang at that moment, much to Esther's disappointment, as no one noticed that she hit Draco in the head.

"Hurry up, I've got to take you all to Herbology," barked Snape over the class's heads, and off they marched, with Esther and Draco at the front, though she heard Ron trying to break free from Dean and Harry, who was trying to get to Draco for the mean-spirited remark at the end of Potions.

It was only safe for Harry and Ron to let him go when Snape escorted them to the greenhouse.

With Hermione and Justin gone, the atmosphere was subdued. Professor Sprout set them all to work pruning the Abyssinian Shrivelfigs. Esther went to tip almost an armful of the withered stalks into the compost heap and she was vaguely aware of Ernie's apology to Harry for suspecting him of being the Heir.

Draco and Goyle came to work on the same Shrivelfig as Esther and Daphne.

"What was that for?" Draco asked her about her hitting him round in the head at the end of Potions.

"Draco, it would have been smarter if you kept your mouth shut. You were within earshot of Muggle-borns in that class and everyone could hear," said Esther. "True, I know you hate muggles and muggle-borns and deem them as scum, but there is a time and place for saying things, and now is not the time for it. If the attacks stop and every muggle-born is restored, you are free to say your hate-filled views."

Draco backed down at her words. His father always said that the Dark Lord was forceful when he wanted to be and Draco assumed that due to the way she said her response to him, that Esther was channeling that part of her father.

So Draco kept his mouth shut about the matter and began focusing his attention on the assignment in front of them

Afterwards, Professor Sprout escourted the class to Defense Against the Dark Arts. Seeing that Ron and Harry were lagging behind the others, she left Draco and Daphne to join them.

"Mind if I walk with you?" Esther offered. "I won't tell anyone what you are going to talk about."

As they walked to the class, she listened as Harry and Ron talked about sneaking into the forbidden forest.

"Spiders? Than I'm not going along," Esther told them as they entered the classroom, where Esther took her usual place next to Draco.

Lockhart bounded into the room and the class stared at him. Every teacher in the place was looking grimmer than usual, but Lockhart appeared nothing short of buoyant.

"Come now," he cried, beaming around him. "Why all these long faces?"

People swapped exasperated looks, but nobody answered.

"Don't you people realize," said Lockhart, speaking slowly, as though they were all a bit dim, "the danger has passed! The culprit has been taken away…"

"Says who?" said Dean Thomas loudly.

"My dear young man, the Minister of Magic wouldn't have taken Hagrid if he wasn't one hundred percent sure that he was guilty," said Lockhart, in the tone of someone explaining that one and one made two.

"Oh, yes he would," said Ron, even more loudly than Dean.

"I flatter myself I know a _touch _more about Hagrid's arrest than you do, Mr. Weasley," said Lockhart, in a self-satisfied tone.

"He is not helping any," Esther muttered through her teeth. "I hope something happens to him and maybe we will get a decent teacher for this subject next year."

Draco sniggered in agreement.

Esther was longing for the class to get over with or else she would be throwing _Voyages with Vampires _at Lockhart for his disgusting cheerfulness.

* * *

The next day, during their first Transfiguration lesson of the day, something drove the Chamber of Secrets out of everybody's minds for the first time in weeks. Ten minutes into class, Professor McGonagall told them their exams would start on the first of June, one week from today.

"_Exams_?" howled Seamus Finnegan. "We're still getting _exams_?"

Behind Esther, she could hear Crabbe slamming his head into his desk at the news. "I thought we would be free of them, due to the attacks," he said, as he slammed his forehead against the desk one more time.

"The whole point of keeping the school open at this time is for you to receive your education," she said sternly. "The exams will therefore take place as usual and I trust you are all studying hard."

Study hard! Esther was bewildered that exams would take place in the castle at this state, but she was eager to pass her classes, and she felt bad those who would not be able to do their exams.

* * *

Three days before their first exam, Professor McGonagall made another announcement at breakfast.

"I have good news," she said, and the Great Hall, instead of falling silent, erupted.

"Dumbledore's coming back!" several people yelled joyfully.

"You've caught the Heir of Slytherin!" squealed a girl at the Ravenclaw table.

"Quidditch matches are back!" roared Wood excitedly.

"Why won't he just marry the sport, if he loves it so much," Draco muttered.

When the hubbub subsided, Professor McGonagall said, "Professor Sprout has informed me that the Mandrakes are ready for cutting at last. Tonight, we will be able to revive those people who have been Petrified. I need hardly remind you all that one of them may well be able to tell us who, or what, attacked them. I am hopeful that this dreadful year will end with our catching the culprit."

There was an explosion of cheering. Among the Slytherins, Draco was the only one who didn't cheer.

"Get over it," Esther muttered as she served herself breakfast.

* * *

After a long day of studying and prepping for the upcoming exams, Esther was on her way to the Slytherin common room when she was met by a frantic Harry and Ron. In Harry's hand, was piece of paper, ripped at the edges as if it had been torn from a book.

"Esther, we have to show you this," said Harry frantically.

"What happened?" Esther asked them.

"We convinced Madam Pomfrey to let us into the hospital wing so we can visit Hermione. While we were 'talking' to Hermione, we found this in her hand," said Harry. "Come on, I'll show you.

* * *

"_Of the many fearsome beasts that roam our land_," said Harry as he read the torn page, "_none is more deadly than the Basilisk. Capable of living for hundreds of years, instant death awaits any who meet this giant serpent's eye. Spiders fleet before it_."

"Ron, Esther, this is it. The monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a basilisk. Ron, that's why Esther and I can both hear it speak. It's a snake," said Harry.

"Makes more sense if Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth," said Esther.

"But if it kills by looking people in the eye, why is it that no one's dead?" asked Ron.

Before Esther could guess, Harry looked at his reflection at the window.

"Because no one did look it in the eye. Not directly, at least," said Harry, before they walked through the corridors. "Colin saw it through his camera. Justin – Justin must have seen the basilisk through Nearly Headless Nick. Nick got the full blast of it. But he's a ghost, he couldn't die again. And Hermione had the mirror. She may have warned Penelope Clearwater to look at the corners of the corridor with one in case it went along," said Harry.

"And Mrs. Norris?" asked Ron. "I'm pretty sure she didn't have a camera or a mirror, Harry."

After thinking for a moment, Harry said, "the water. There was water on the floor that night. She only saw the basilisk's reflection."

Esther and Ron nodded before Harry took out the page again and led them to a torch. "_Spiders flee before it_," Harry read before he continued. "It all fits."

"But how's a basilisk getting around?" asked Ron. "A dirty, great snake. Someone would have seen it."

"The pipes maybe?" Esther guessed.

"Hermione's answered that too," said Harry, showing the page to Ron.

"Pipes? It's using the plumbing," said Ron.

Harry turned to Ron and said, "Ron, remember what Aragog said about that girl fifty years ago? She died in a bathroom? What if she never left?"

"Moaning Myrtle," said Ron.

Harry nodded before they heard Professor McGonagall's voice through the speakers.

"_All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers to the second-floor corridor immediately,_" said McGonagall.

"Something has happened," said Harry. "Ron, come."

"Well, I might as well leave to the Slytherin common room," said Esther. "Tell me what you find tomorrow."

"Alright," Harry told her as Esther separated from Harry and Ron.

* * *

Esther, who had gone to bed early, lay in her bed, asleep for two hours when she was shaken awake.

"Esther! Wake up! Wake up!" Daphne said to her excitedly.

"What is it?" Esther asked her groggily, as she sat up in her bed.

"Have you heard? Harry Potter has found the culprit!" said Daphne, so excited that she jumped up and down.

"Harry found the Heir of Slytherin?" Esther asked.

"That's what I heard. Gemma heard Martin Pucey yell about it before bedtime," said Daphne. "Also, there's a feast and the best part is we don't have to change out of our pajamas."

* * *

Esther had been to several Hogwarts feasts, but never one quite like this. Everybody, except Harry and Ron were in their pajamas and the celebration lasted all night. Esther didn't know whether the best bit was running to the Gryffindor table and hearing how Harry found out that Lockhart was a fraud, Harry encountering Voldemort's sixteen year old self, saved Ginny Weasley, who was controlled by Tom Riddle's diary, and defeating the basilisk in the Chamber or being bombarded with apology after apology from the students for the way they treated her for most of the year or Draco being stone silent during most of the feast until half past three when he dropped his slice of trifle seeing Hagrid coming back or Harry and Ron's four hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering the greeted the news.

This seemed to cheer Draco up.

"Good," said Draco, helping himself to a jelly donut. "He was a pansy anyway, and a fraud."

* * *

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences – Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled and Lucius Malfoy was sacked as a school governor ("That's a shame," said Draco. "Oh well, my father has money anyway"). Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky.

Everyone in school started to accept the fact that Esther was the daughter of Voldemort and no longer avoided her, blamed her for the loss of family members, or insulted her. She was treated like anyone else again, though a few students approached her with caution. Unfortunately instead of being once again invisible, being the child of Voldemort meant that she was now one of the prominent Slytherins.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Esther, Fred, George, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were aloud to the magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the very last of Fred and George's Filibuster fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic.

The most interesting thing that happened in Esther's mind when they were almost at King's Cross was to hear that Percy Weasley had been seeing Penelope Clearwater.

When the train stopped, the students got out and Esther and Harry told Ron to call them as they walked through the gateway to the Muggle world.

* * *

**Read and Review?**


	37. Aunt Marge

**Now, we are in **_**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**_.

* * *

On July 31st, thirteen year old Esther Dursley woke up at five in the morning to hear a tapping at her window. She turned on her bedside lamp and groggily went to the window. There she saw Gertrude and the Malfoy's eagle owl at her window sill, waiting to get in. She opened the window and took the mail from their beaks

After Esther retrieved her morning mail, the eagle owl flew back to Wiltshire as Esther opened the first letter from Draco Malfoy. Curiously, she opened the envelope and read the letter which was written on expensive stationary with a 'M' on the top.

_Dear Esther,_

_ How is your holiday? Mine went perfectly well. My family and I went to France for a holiday to visit my father's cousin. The trip went well. I bought you a belated birthday gift as well. I know your birthday is on the eighth on this month, but I couldn't send you a present on time as my father wanted me to do my homework first._

_ Hope to see you at the start of term. _

_ Sincerely,_

_ Draco Malfoy._

_ P.S: I enclosed a picture of myself, as I have gotten a new haircut after my thirteenth birthday. My hair feels better without all the oil that kept it slicked back_.

As Draco said, there was picture of him. instead of the slicked back look he had in the first two years of Hogwarts, he had side bangs, which Esther though made him a bit older.

Attached to the envelope, was a small parcel, containing a antique brooch.

Setting the mail from Draco aside, she picked up the mail that Gertrude gave her, which was a note from Hogwarts.

She opened the envelope from Hogwarts and read the letter:

_Dear Ms. Dursley,_

_ Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three quarters, at eleven o'clock. _

_ Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign._

_ Also, as I will be saying this to you and only you, Ms. Dursley, Professor Snape will come in a week to take you to Diagon Alley to get your books._

_ A list of books for next year is enclosed._

_ Yours sincerely,_

_ Professor M. McGonagall_

_ Deputy Headmistress_

Esther pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, full of excitement, though not all was happy. She knew that while her parents would not hesitate to sign her form, but the same could not be said for Harry, who her parents hated.

She set the letter and the permission slip aside, and went into her closet to get dressed for the day. In her closet, what was used to be filled with old fashioned dresses and clothes, were now replaced with jeans, shirts, sweaters, hoodies, henleys, and polos. Gone was the little girl and she was now a teenager, whose hair was wavy instead of curled.

She selected a blue polo and a pair of black denim jeans to wear for the day. After changing out of her pajamas, she dressed into her clothes and proceeded to go on the computer to play euchre.

* * *

A few hours later, Esther went down to breakfast, holding her permission slip, to find her mother cooking breakfast as Vernon and Dudley sat around the table and watched television. The television was brand new, as it was a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.

"Good morning, Estie," said Petunia, as Vernon smiled at his adopted daughter while Dudley's eyes were glued to the television. Esther inwardly signed at the nickname. She was too old for it.

"Mum, dad. I received a note from my school and I was given a permission slip in order to go to Hogsmeade, which is a village, and I was wondering, if one of you might be able to sign it," said Esther.

As she expected, her adopted father replied without hesitation, "Yes, Esther, dear. Bring the form here."

Vernon looked around for a pen before he signed the form on the kitchen table.

"There you go," said Vernon, handing her back the form.

"Thank you, dad," Esther thanked, as she folded the slip and put in her pocket.

"Not a problem, Esther dear," said Vernon. "When is term fun without field trips?"

Soon, Petunia announced breakfast and Esther sat down to eat.

A few minutes later, Harry came downstairs to see them watching the television around the kitchen table as they ate breakfast and he sat down between Esther and Petunia. He helped himself to a piece of toast while Esther was listening to the reporter who was reporting about a escaped convict:

"…The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us _he's _no good," snorted Vernon , staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

Esther looked at the picture of the convict on the television before she continued her breakfast and blocked out her father when he spoke after the reporter reappeared and changed the subject.

Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and said, "I'll be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

Esther spat out her orange juice while Harry nearly dropped his toast.

"Are you alright, Esther?" Petunia asked.

"Sorry, mum," Esther lied. "Wrong pipe."

"Aunt Marge?" Harry blurted out. "Sh – _she's_ not coming here, is she?"

Aunt Marge was Vernon's sister. Even though she is not a blood relative of Esther's (whose parents were in no relation with the Dursley's), Marge was Esther's adopted aunt, thus why Esther called her Aunt Marge, while Harry was forced to do so. Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't stay at Privet drive often because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, to Esther, her visits stood out horribly vivid in her mind, because of the way Aunt Marge treated Harry.

Aunt Marge doted on Esther, who was second to Dudley but she treated Harry in a way that Esther deemed unforgivable.

In Esther's first Christmas with the Dursley's, Aunt Marge gave Dudley a toy fire truck, and Esther a porcelain doll while she gave Harry a old dog bowl. On her last visit, the year before Esther went to Hogwarts, she saw Harry accidently had trodden on the tail of Aunt Marge's favorite dog. She saw Ripper chase Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. Esther heard other stories about Aunt Marge from Harry that made her bitterer.

"Marge'll be here for a week," Vernon snarled at Harry, ", and while we're on the subject" – he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry – "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Vernon was Dudley's favorite form of entertainment. Esther, however, distracted herself by taking the plates and cups to the sink and was rinsing them when she heard Harry ask Vernon, ", What did you tell Aunt Marge about Esther? That she was in a similar home for girls?"

"No, boy," Vernon snarled. "I told Aunt Marge that Esther goes to Perkins, the school where Petunia and I wanted to place her in the first place."

Esther placed the dishes and cups in the dishwasher before she wiped the countertop.

"Well, Petunia," said Vernon, getting heavily on his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"No," said Dudley, whose attention was now on the television.

"Duddy's got to look smart for his auntie," said Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick brown hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow tie."

"You, Esther?" Vernon asked her.

"No, thank you, dad," said Esther. "I have to prepare the place for Aunt Marge."

"Of course, Estie wants her aunt to be comfortable here," said Petunia, as Esther ran up the stairs.

The orange juice that Esther spat out soaked her blue polo shirt, and she thought it would be best if, Aunt Marge, the mother of criticism, did not see her in it. Esther took of her shirt, threw it in the laundry hamper before shrugging on a clean red polo. Esther heard Harry and Vernon having a argument at the foot of the stairs before she heard the front door slam and Harry ascending the stairs.

"What was that about?" Esther asked him as she left her room.

"Do you have a Hogsmeade form?" Harry asked.

Esther removed the form from her pocket and unfolded it for Harry to see.

"He signed yours?" asked Harry, who could not help to feel bitter about it.

"Yes," said Esther, "this morning."

"I asked Uncle Vernon about signing my form and I promised that if he signed it, I would keep with the story that I go to St. Brutus's," said Harry. "Well, he told me if I behave around Aunt Marge, he'll sign the form."

"Looks like the odds are not in your favor," said Esther. "Knowing dad, he'll go back on his promise. If he does, I'll forge his signature."

Over the summer, Esther started to practice with signature forging, and she would try to replicate signatures of that of her adopted parents and Dudley.

"Um, thank you, Esther," said Harry. He was glad that Esther cared for him enough to go to Hogsmeade with her, but he didn't want her to get in trouble. "Why won't we send our owls off, that way Aunt Marge won't get suspicious?"

Esther heeded Harry's words and told her owl to go to the Weasley's for a week. Gertrude obeyed and flew away.

Afterwards, Esther headed down the stairs to straighten everything up, while Petunia was combing Dudley's hair and putting the bowtie on him.

In no time, Esther saw her mum go at the foot of the stairs to shriek at Harry to get downstairs.

"Do something with your hair!" Petunia told Harry as he descended the stairs.

Esther soon heard the crunch of gravel outside as Vernon's car pulled back into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors and footsteps on the garden path.

"Get the door!" Petunia told Harry.

Harry pulled the door open and on the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Vernon; large, beefy, though no mustache. In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffypoo?"

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his brown hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

"Oh, there's my Esta," said Aunt Marge as she spotted Esther in the living room. Esther came forward, where Aunt Marge too, gave her a tight one-armed hug and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Esther knew perfectly well why Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note in his fat fist. Esther was also paid for the hug Aunt Marge gave her, which she thought was ridiculous.

"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge as she went and greeted Petunia, ignoring Harry as though he were a hat stand.

Vernon now came in, smiling jovially, as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge as the Dursleys proceeded to the kitchen, as Harry went upstairs to haul the suitcase to the spare room.

"Will you like some fruitcake with your tea, Aunt Marge?" Esther asked her politely as they entered the kitchen.

"Yes, dear," said Aunt Marge as she sat down.

As Esther went behind the counter to cut a piece of fruitcake, she heard Aunt Marge and her parents begin their conversation as Petunia poured tea in their cups.

"You and Vernon had chosen well four years ago, Petunia," said Aunt Marge as she looked over at Esther, who was placing the slice of fruitcake on a small dish. "She is very polite."

"Thank you, Marge," Petunia thanked as Esther set the plate in front of Aunt Marge.

"Would anyone else like fruitcake?" Esther asked anyone else.

"Yes," said Petunia as Dudley raised his hand.

"The people that made her must have had good genes," said Aunt Marge, as Esther came with four more plates of fruitcake. "She is almost a young lady, that one. Any teenage temperaments?"

"She has quite of a temper, but still polite," said Vernon before changing the subject as Esther placed the plates on the table and served herself with fruitcake. "Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?"

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me."

Ripper began to growl and Esther noticed that Harry was in the room as he sat down.

Esther's stomach tied in a knot when Aunt Marge turned her attention to Harry for the first time.

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?

"Yes," said Harry.

"Don't say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on _my _doorstep."

Esther saw Harry force his face into a painful smile.

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you." She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her mouth, and said, "Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," said Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

Wanting to avoid a scene, Esther sat up and said, "I'll be right back. I have to use the toilet."

She picked up her plate of fruitcake and placed it in front of Harry so Dudley couldn't get a hold of it before she left the room.

* * *

As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Esther became ancy, and wanted out of the house, though she knew it wasn't possible. She had to conceal her embarrassment when Aunt Marge would interrogate her on her life plans, and even asked her if she knew what profession her biological parents were as well. Esther knew that she couldn't say that her biological mother was a witch and that her biological father was the most infamous dark wizard that ever lived, so she said she didn't know. To Esther's fury, Aunt Marge delighted in comparing Harry with her and Dudley and took pleasure in buying Esther and Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present too. She also kept throwing dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person.

On the third day, Aunt Marge told Vernon over dinner that something was wrong with Harry's mother, which was why he turned out the way he did and the wine glass she was holding shattered to pieces.

While Aunt Marge shrugged it off and said that she gripped it too firmly, Esther thought that Aunt Marge must have angered Harry to a point where the wine glass broke by means of accidental magic.

Esther knew that Harry was trying hard to not think about the prospect of Aunt Marge being there and that he was thinking hard about something else when Aunt Marge started on him. It might have worked well for Harry, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal.

At last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Vernon bored them all with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill making company; then Petunia made coffee and Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy.

"Can I tempt you, Marge?"

Aunt Marge had already had quite a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red.

"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that…and a bit more…that's the ticket."

Dudley was eating his fourth piece of pie, while Esther was on her second piece. Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out.

"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass back down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after…" she burped loudly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see healthy-sized children," she went on, winking at both Esther and Dudley. You'll be a proper sized man, Dudders, like your father. Esther, you will also be proper-sized. As I said, Vernon, her biological parents must have had good genes. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon…"

"Now, this one here…"

Esther saw that Aunt Marge jerked her head at Harry. Obviously, this was not going to be good.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred."

Esther contained any diatribe she wanted to say by thinking about her school work, which was already finished and ready to be handed in at the start of term.

"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" – she patted Petunia's hand – "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best of families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result in front of us."

Esther had the urge to say that her biological father, who was Lord Voldemort, was _the_ bad egg, and that she herself turned out very well, but bit her lip from doing so. She saw Harry stare at his plate, as if to control any anger he had as well.

"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the table cloth, "you never told me what he did?"

Vernon and Petunia were looking extremely tense, Dudley had even looked from his pie to gape at his parents. Esther, stood and left the table, saying that she was going to go to the toilet and be right back.

Esther ran upstairs to the bathroom to take a few deep breaths. She knew that lately she had been having trouble with her temper, but unlike Harry, she was able to control it, though she feared her temper might become explosive by the time she reached adulthood.

"MARGE!" she heard her parents yell together. She tore herself from the bathroom and as she was descending the stairs, she and Harry nearly collided, who was running up the stairs.

As Esther made her way into the dining room, she saw something very shocking and she tried not to laugh.

There was Aunt Marge, bobbing along the ceiling, and blown up like a balloon, with Vernon trying to get Ripper off his ankle.

Esther heard Harry run down the stairs, with his suitcase and Hedwig's cage, just as Vernon burst out of the dining room.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed to Harry. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

"She deserved it. She deserved what she got. You keep away from me. I'm going," said Harry. "I had enough."

Soon, Harry was out the door.

* * *

**R & R**


	38. Word on an Escapee

**I will explain what will happen later in the chapter to ward off confusion. Honestly, being the son of a Death Eater, I know that Draco Malfoy would doubt that Sirius Black was serving Voldemort. If you think about this, the Death Eaters would know if Sirius was the Dark Lord's right hand man, as they would have seen him at the meetings. So, logically, the former Death Eaters would be the minority that know the true story, as they would know who served Voldemort and who did not.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"What happened?" Esther asked after Harry left, as she saw Aunt Marge float along the dining room ceiling.

"Your cousin blew her up," said Petunia. "Rude of him. He never had any manners."

"It is not just rude," yelled Vernon. "WE NEED TO CALL THE POLICE!"

"What? For a bout accidental magic?" Esther asked, raising her eyebrow. "This is not something that Muggle authorities can handle."

Vernon's veins popped in his forehead. He normally never tolerated the word 'magic', but with Esther, he can let it slide.

The door soon knocked and Petunia went to answer it.

Two men in robes entered the home, unaware that everything about them was unwelcome.

"We are from the Ministry of Magic," said a wizard wearing a yellow wizarding robe.

"What Department?" Esther asked, before Vernon and Petunia can speak.

"Accidental Magic Reversal," answered the second wizard wearing a emerald green robe, pleased to see a wizarding student on the premises. "We are aware that someone was blown like a balloon?"

Vernon, too disgusted to speak, pointed to the dining room, where the two wizards entered. Ripper, aware of the presence of strangers, barked loudly, and Esther bribed him with a dog biscuit from a box that Aunt Marge left in the kitchen.

A minute later, Aunt Marge was magically punctured and returned to the floor, normal size.

"You should know that none of this ever happened," said one of the wizards before modifying the memory of Aunt Marge.

"We'll be leaving. Take care," said the other wizard as they left four Privet drive.

Silence rang in the house. Dudley still sat at his chair, staring stupidly.

"What happened, Marge?" asked Vernon, thinking that she might remember.

"We'll, that boy stopped arguing with me and he left the house," said Marge.

Petunia and Vernon exchanged confused glances before continuing dessert.

* * *

The next morning, Aunt Marge's suitcase was packed and she left four Privet Drive, Ripper in tow.

An minute after Vernon left to take his sister to the train station, there was a knock on the door.

Esther, who was in the kitchen, washing the dishes, heard Petunia answer the door and a few minutes later, she heard her say, "Esther, Professor Snape is here."

"Coming," Esther called, taking off her apron and leaving the kitchen. "I'll be right back. I have to get my list."

She ran up the stairs, took a quick trip to her room to get her list and her purse, full of both wizard money and muggle money, and headed down the stairs.

* * *

"One thing to warn you about Divination is that Professor Trelawny often makes predictions that don't become reality," Snape said to her as a train (with a few passengers) took them to London.

"How off are her predictions?" Esther asked.

"Very off, though she has made one accurate prediction," said Snape., "which I overheard part of it."

"Which one was that?" Esther asked him, curious.

Changing the subject, Snape handed her a copy of the _Daily Prophet _(charmed so the pictures wouldn't move in front of Muggles), and said, "Have you heard that a criminal by the name of Sirius Black escaped?"

"No," said Esther. "There is a convict that escaped from prison who had the same last name. I heard it on the news a week ago.

"Read the front page," Snape gestured. "It's from yesterday."

Esther looked at the front page and nearly dropped the paper. On top of the article, was the picture of the _same _man who she saw on the news, holding some sort of sign and under the picture, the article read…

**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today._

"_We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."_

_Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle minister of the crisis._

"_Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it – who'd believe him if he did?"_

_While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

"Thirteen?" Esther asked, white as a sheet as she handed the paper back to Snape. "He killed _thirteen _people?"

"Yes," Snape dryly said. "One of them, only a finger remained."

"Who was that?" Esther asked.

"I'll tell you later," said Snape, as the train arrived in London. Once at the Leaky Cauldron, Snape told her to get her books while he waited and told her to take her time until three p.m.

Esther took a trip to Gringotts, where she exchanged five twenty pound notes for Galleons before she set off to the stores at Diagon Alley. Looking at her list of required materials, she headed inside Flourish and Blotts, where she saw through the window, a cage full of books.

As she entered, the manager came hurrying towards her.

"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?"

"Yes," said Esther.

He soon drew on a pair of very thick gloves and proceeded toward the door of a cage full of the books attacking each other. After being bitten, he took a book out before he slammed and locked the cage door shut before handing the book to her.

"I don't know why they assign these books," said the manager. "Want me to help you with your books?"

Esther nodded and after the manager helped her buy her required books, she started to look for some books for light and informational reading.

Ten minutes later, she came out of Flourish and Blotts, with her school books and copies of _The Encyclopedia of Death Eaters_, _Tales of Beedle the Bard_, and _The Daily Prophet Articles of the Last Two Decades_. She headed to Madam Malkins to get refitted for her robes, as she knew her robes from first and second year would not fit. After she was finished, she headed to the store nearby to get her quills, parchment, and ink.

After making her purchases (one of them, a bottle of golden colored ink), she left the store to see Draco Malfoy and his lackeys looking at the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Looks fast," she heard him tell Crabbe and Goyle as she headed towards them, curious what they were looking at. "I might ask father."

"Then it will be your third broomstick in possession," Esther told them, as she approached them.

Draco, his lackeys, and Theodore Nott looked in her direction.

"Hello, Esther," Draco greeted, as she looked to see the poster advertising the upcoming Firebolt. "How was your holiday?"

"Good. Yours?" Esther asked, still looking at the advertisement.

"Wonderful. Did you get the brooch I bought?" asked Draco.

"Yes, thank you. It was lovely," said Esther.

"I sent everyone in Slytherin house, in our year a trinket from France," said Draco. "I gave you a brooch because it fits your personality."

"Draco, have you heard about Sirius Black escaping?" Esther asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," said Draco. "Everyone is talking about it. My aunt Augusta told father that she doesn't want my cousins to be outside alone until he is locked up back in Azkaban."

"Do your cousins go to Hogwarts?" Esther asked, wondering if she would have noticed them.

"My oldest cousins go to Durmstrang while my young cousins born to Aunt Catherine are expected to go to Hogwarts next year. I have a cousin who goes to Beauxbatons," answered Draco.

"What is Durmstrang and Beauxbatons?" Esther asked.

"They are both wizarding schools," answered Draco. "Like Hogwarts, Durmstrang accepts both girls and boys, though you have to be pure-blood or half-blood to be a student there. Beauxbatons also accepts both boys and girls. My cousin Ophelia attends there."

"Esther! Draco!" they heard the voice of Daphne Greengrass call out.

She approached them, smiling, and accompanying her, was a eleven year old girl with long mahogany colored hair.

"How was your summer, Daphne?" Esther asked.

"Good," said Daphne, before introducing the girl with her. "This is my sister, Astoria. She will be starting Hogwarts this year."

"Are you excited?" asked Esther. "What Hogwarts house do you think you will be sorted to?"

"Slytherin," piped up Astoria.

After Daphne returned her sister to their parents, Esther, Daphne, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Theodore decided to stop at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor to talk over ice cream.

"We better not be too long," said Esther, who looked at her digital wrist watch. "I have to leave at 3."

"Why?" asked Draco. "Are your parents here?"

"Well, no, Draco," said Esther. "Snape accompanied me."

As Daphne told the person at the counter what they wanted, Draco replied, "that's thoughtful of him, but why a member of staff?"

"My parents won't take me to Diagon Alley because they hate everything about wizardry," said Esther. "I live with muggles, remember."

"That's not right," said Draco as the six of them headed to a table outside, each of them carrying a small dish of Lemon and Raspeberry flavored ice cream. "You should come with us to get your books next school year. Mum says your welcome anytime."

"I doubt that Harry will even like it," said Esther. "You two hate each other."

"Well, we have our moments," said Draco as they all sat down and started to eat their ice cream. "We just have a rivalry going on at the moment."

Goyle nudged Draco and said, "Speaking of Potter, look who is here?"

Esther, Draco, and his lackeys turned to see Harry approaching the ice cream parlor, his books and parchment in hand.

"Hey, Potter!" called out Draco. "Managed to get off scot-free? What did your aunt look like when you blew her up like a balloon?"

"Draco, please," said Esther. "How did you know?"

"Well, father heard Fudge tell Weasley's father that Potter blew up his aunt," said Draco, ", and father said that Potter should have gotten expelled rather than get off the hook, though I could see why he did not get expelled, with Sirius Black after him and stuff?"

Making sure that Harry was out of ear-shot, Esther asked Draco, "Why is Sirius Black after Harry?"

Draco was anxious about Harry overhearing their conversation as well, and insisted that they write on a piece of parchment.

_Why is Sirius Black after Harry? _Esther wrote.

_Well, rumor has it that he told the Dark Lord where the Potters were hiding, thus leading to the death of Potter's parents_, Draco wrote in reply.

_What happened after that? _Esther asked on the parchment.

_Common knowledge says that he killed Peter Pettigrew as well as 12 others with a single curse, and that a finger was left of Pettigrew. They think Black is a Dark Lord supporter who is trying to kill Potter in a mad attempt to get the Dark Lord back, though father and I know better_, written Draco.

_What do you know? _Esther wrote back, confused.

_According to father, Sirius Black was more in Dumbledore's circle then the Dark Lord's. Black caused grief in my mum's family by supporting Mudbloods and muggle-borns, as well as his sorting to Gryffindor. My father knows there was not a death eater named Sirius Black, but father does say there a death eater named Regulus Black, who happened to be Black's brother_, wrote Draco.

Esther knew Draco Malfoy's father was a Death Eater and got himself out of going to Azkaban by claiming that he was under the Imperius Curse (which Esther doubted), but if what Draco was saying was true, Esther did not doubt it, as his father seemed to know who served her father and who didn't. Esther knew Draco would play up his injuries and lie at times, but Esther doubted that he would lie about this.

_What about Peter Pettigrew? _Asked Esther on the parchment.

_Some people considered him quite of a shady character. Mum does not know why he was sorted into Gryffindor, it was like the Sorting Hat placed him there because it didn't know where to put him. Cowardly too. While common belief says that Black was the Potter's secret keeper, it was actually Peter Pettigrew. Nott's father reckons that Pettigrew was in your father's circle as well, _wrote Draco.

Esther turned to see Harry, doing his homework a few tables away, though she saw that he was looking at their direction.

"Might as well change the subject, because Harry was looking in our direction," said Esther, handing the parchment back to Draco.

Esther and her companions talked for a few hours about their summer, though Draco was upset that Ron's family won gold and went to Egypt ("Why them? They have no money as it is," muttered Draco. "They have nothing and live in a shack or something like that.")

"Well, Draco, what would your father do with that gold if he won the drawing?" asked Esther, smirking. "Your family has gold, so I doubt you would need it."

Draco's face turned scarlet as Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. "Shut up," he told them, embarrassed.

Forty-five to three, the six of them departed, and Esther headed to the Leaky Cauldron, her bags and packages in tow.

The stuff Draco told her ran through her head. Sirius Black was not in Voldemort's circle after all? And this stuff about Sirius in Dumbledore's circle and his brother serving her father. She knew Draco's reputation, but she doubted he would lie about something like that. After all, she was the Dark Lord's daughter.

* * *

**R & R**


	39. The Dementor

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The few weeks in Number Four, were normal, though Vernon was still fuming over the incident with Aunt Marge bobbing on the ceiling. Dudley was sulky and annoyed Esther by saying out loud that he was bored. Esther guessed it was because his "punching bag" was absent.

"Might as well give you a punching bag," Esther told him, "so you would stop bullying Harry."

Dudley whined and ran to Petunia, who thought it was just sibling rivalry, and told her Dinky Duddydums that it was nothing serious.

In fact, Esther and Dudley were at each other's throats a little more than usual. Vernon saw them fighting whose turn it was to watch the television and he told them to quiet down or they will not watch television. Esther knew that Harry would not get away with that, as the Dursley's would think he was being mean to their Dudders.

There were times where Esther wished that she would have Draco instead as a brother.

Gertrude (who returned the day Esther went to Diagon Alley) delivered letters. From what Esther gathered, Harry was enjoying his time in the Leaky Cauldron and told her about the new racing broom in the market. If Esther had one thing her father was said to have lacked, it was empathy. She tried to imagine what life would be like under her parents as Harry, though she thought it would be nothing if she lived with her father.

If he was actually in the flesh.

Esther's copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters _was trying to bite her fingers off when she tried to open it, that she bound the book together with one of her elastic belts.

* * *

On September the first, Esther was sent off to King Cross by her parents and went through the barrier.

As she rolled her cart through Platform nine and three-quarters, she caught site of the Greengrasses, with little Astoria in tow.

"Mum, please, not in public," she heard Draco moan in embarrassment as she passed the Malfoys.

"Esther, over here!" she heard Hermione yell out to her. Esther wheeled her cart as she approached the Weasleys', Harry, and Hermione.

After packing their trunks into a storage compartment, they said their good-byes to the Weasleys before Mr. Weasley took her aside for a few moments.

"Now, if Sirius Black tries to contact you, tell the Ministry," said Mr. Weasley. "I'm sure he is desperate to contact someone who has genetic connections with _You-Know-Who_."

"You reckon that since I'm the child of _You-Know-Who_, Black might contact me?" asked Esther.

"Yes, so contact the Ministry he tries," said Mr. Weasley. He let her on the train before he took Harry aside to warn him about Sirius Black.

"Is Scabbers okay?" Esther asked as she, Ron, and Hermione boarded the train and waited at the corridor for Harry.

"I think Egypt messed him up," said Ron, showing his rat, who was thinner than usual.

"How old is he?" Esther asked.

"Well, we had him for over twelve years," said Ron, "I think age is getting to him."

_Twelve_, Esther thought. From her research, common garden rats live for only three. Something was off about Ron's pet rat.

Soon, Harry joined them on the train and they waved good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as the Hogwarts Express moved from the platform.

"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron, Hermione, and Esther as the train picked up speed.

"Go away, Ginny," said Ron.

"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Esther set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one they were approaching.

This had only one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. As Harry, Ron, and Hermione quietly went into the compartment, Esther, not wanting to disturb the adult sleeping, refused to step in.

"There's something I need to tell you," said Harry.

"Tell me when we get to Hogwarts," said Esther. "I don't want to disturb the person sleeping here."

Harry was rather disappointed but didn't say anything as Esther set off down the corridor. Most of the compartments were filled to capacity, though she heard Draco's voice down the corridor.

"If Potter thinks that he might catch Black single-handed," she heard Draco say out loud, "he is stupid."

Esther was rather hesitant, as she didn't want to sit in a compartment with Draco, but everywhere else except for the compartment Harry and his friends at were full. She slide the door open.

Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, Blaise, and Draco, turned to her, as if she were some expectant guest.

"Do you mind?" asked Esther. "Everywhere else is full."

"No problem," said Draco, as she sat at the bench next to Blaise.

Crabbe said to Draco after Esther was seated, "So, Malfoy, you were saying…"

"Well, if Potter thinks that if he is trying to catch single-handed," said Draco, "he is stupid," Draco turned to Esther and asked, "does he know?"

"No," said Esther, "and I never told him what we talked about either."

"Well, it's rather rubbish anyway," said Draco, looking out at the towns outside. "My father and his friends know better. Father says it's more fun to watch and laugh at the Ministry for their stupidity then correct them."

"About Sirius Black?" Esther asked.

"Of course, Esther," said Draco. "My family and those who served your father know that Black was more in Dumbledore's circle. Mum thinks the story is rather inconsistent with how she knew him. He did not believe in blood purity, as he was friendly with Mudbloods and blood-traitors. As father said, a Regulus Black served under the Dark Lord, not a Sirius Black. As for telling the Dark Lord where the Potters live, he was too friendly with Potter's parents to do that."

Esther soon changed the subject.

"Have you heard who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be?" Esther asked them.

In Esther's time in Hogwarts, she had two teachers under the post that had that job for one year: one turned out to be a Voldemort loyalist while the other was a self-centered author who turned out to be a fraud.

"My father still has contact with some of the school governors," said Draco. "He says that one of them told him that Dumbledore hired a Remus Lupin. Father was seething about it."

"Why?" asked Esther.

"When father was in Hogwarts, he said that in his last three years in Hogwarts, he said that James Potter, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin were good friends. They caused Professor Snape a bit of grief, while he was a student himself, as those three of the four Gryffindors, gave him a hard time, though Lupin did nothing," said Draco. "Also, there is something odd about him."

"How odd?" Esther asked.

"He gets sick once a month," said Draco.

"Could be a poor immune system," Esther replied.

"Very likely," said Draco.

The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backward and forward past the door of their compartment. Blaise was reading a thick volume book, to ignore Crabbe and Goyle, who were eating most of the sweets they bought from the food cart.

"Save some for us," said Esther, as she took a Chocolate Frog from the pile, before saying, "Have you got your textbooks."

"Yes. I have no idea why we were assigned _The Monster Book of Monsters_," said Draco. "Either Professor Kettleburn is losing his marbles or we have a new Professor with a disturbing obsession with monsters."

"It tried to bite my fingers off when I tried to open it," said Pansy. "Had to tie it together with rope."

By midafternoon, when it was starting to sprinkle, blurring the rolling hills outside their window, Draco announced that he and his lackeys would be leaving for a few minutes to stretch their legs.

Esther had a feeling that bullying would be involved.

A minute later, Draco and his lackeys came back in the compartment, unamused.

The rain thickened as the train sped yet farther north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering gray, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks.

"We seem to be getting close," said Draco, looking at the black window.

However, the train started to slow down.

"Why are we stopping?" Pansy asked.

"Maybe maintenance," said Blaise.

As the train came into a stop, Esther and Draco poked their heads out of the compartment, as did others to see why the train had stopped, and the train jolted. The lights soon flickered until they turned off all together.

"Crabbe, that's my foot," said Esther.

He put his hand on the window and looked fear stricken. "There's something out there," said Crabbe, fear evident in his voice. The train jolted again. In a few seconds, Esther felt the temperature of the compartment drop, and it was not long before everything in the compartment froze solid, the ice obscuring the view of the window, and they could see their breaths in front of them.

Blaise was composed, though Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle looked like they might wet themselves; Pansy was trembling and trying to get close to Draco, as Esther tried to compose herself. The train gave another jolt, and Crabbe's hand was removed from the window.

"What's going on?" asked Crabbe, still frightened.

Through the frost of the compartment door, they all saw a cloaked figure approach the door, and opened it, showing its grotesque, boney fingers. As soon, as the cloaked, entity came in the room, the response was not surprising, given its form.

Draco gave a whimper as Pansy clung to him, like her life depended on it. When the cloaked figure looked at Esther, she felt herself lose consciousness and everything went pitch black.

* * *

"You reckon she's alright, Malfoy?" Esther heard Goyle ask Draco as soon as she awoke from unconsciousness.

"She's okay, Goyle," said Draco irritably. "She's just fainted. Look, she's waking up."

Esther sat up and looked at the concerned faces staring at her.

"We'll be to Hogwarts soon," said Pansy. Esther vaguely noticed that the train was moving again.

"What was that?" asked Esther.

"A dementor," said Blaise. "The guards from Azkaban. They're trying to look for Sirius Black."

"Like they'll find him here," said Draco. "Eat this. You'll feel better."

He handed her a pumpkin pastry, which she took gratefully.

"Have you heard what happened in the compartment Harry and his friends were in?" they heard an older student tell another while passing Esther's compartment.

"No ," they heard the voice of Adrian Pucey, an Slytherin fifth year, who happened to be also on the Slytherin Quidditch team, "but what happened?"

"Apparently, one of the dementors tried to give Harry Potter the Dementor's Kiss," said Adrian's companion. "Luckily, someone was there to stop the dementor from doing so. Harry passed out afterwards."

"Poor chap. I don't like Potter a lot anyway, but I won't want to be the victim of a dementor attack as well," said Adrian as the two students passed the compartment.

There was a slight pause in the compartment where Esther inhabited until Draco's lips broke into a grin.

"Potter fainted?" asked Draco, full of malicious anticipation.

"Seems like you found your joke of the school year, Malfoy," said Crabbe, who seemed to forget his fright.

Draco laughed in response before snidely rehearsing, " 'Potter, did the dementor scare you? I bet it did' "

Draco did a exaggerated impersonation of an swooning fit and Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy laughed at his demonstration. Blaise, on the other hand, did not think it was funny, and kept on reading.

"That will be priceless, Draco," said Pansy, laughing.

"Remember, Draco," said Esther, "I passed out as well. So don't make it into a cruel joke as well."

Draco looked stunned, like she would think such a thing.

"No, Esther, it's a different situation with you," said Draco. "You were not the only one who was scared. Crabbe looked like he was going to wet himself," and Draco turned to Crabbe and asked, "Didn't you, Crabbe."

"Hypocrite," Esther muttered and she turned her back to Draco.

For the rest of the trip to Hogwarts, Esther ignored Draco as he planned ways to taunt Harry about fainting.

After twelve minutes, the train slowed, indicating they were arriving at Hogwarts.

"Finally," said Esther, as she stretched her legs. As the train came to a halt, Esther left the compartment she shared with Draco and his lackeys in search of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

As she spotted them leaving their compartment, she called out, "There you are."

As she approached them, she said, "Harry, are you alright? I heard Adrian Pucey say that you fainted."

"We were all scared," said Ron, as he held up Scabbers. "I think they scared Scabbers."

It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets. As Esther left the train with Harry and his friends, she mentally cursed herself for not looking up the weather forecast for Scotland, as she would have brought her rain jacket.

As Hagrid escorted the first years to the boats, Esther, Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the school along the platform and out into a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Esther assumed, invisible horses, because when they climbed inside and shut the door, the couch set off all by itself, bumping and swaying into procession.

The couch smelled faintly of mold and straw. Esther looked at Harry enviously, seeing him eat a bar of chocolate. Esther noticed that Hermione and Ron were looking at him sideways, as though he might collapse.

As the carriage trundled toward a pair of magnificent wrought iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Esther saw two more dementors, standing guard at either side. This time, Esther did not feel the fright she had experienced and ignored them until they were passed the gates. The carriage picked up speed on the long sloping drive up to the castle.

When, the carriage came to a halt, the four of them climbed out.

As Harry stepped down, Esther heard a familiar, drawling voice come into earshot.

"You _fainted_, Potter? You actually _fainted_?"

Draco elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone path to the castle, his face gleeful and pale eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.

"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Draco loudly. "Did the scary old dementor frighten you two, Weasley?"

"Shut up, you hypocrite," snapped Esther. "Do you want me to broadcast to the whole school, that you nearly wet yourself before the dementor came in our compartment?"

Draco was taken aback, a blush of embarrassment on his cheeks and he beckoned Crabbe and Goyle to leave.

"Thanks," said Harry, his voice full of relief.

"You're welcome," said Esther, as the four of them joined the crowd swarming up the path to castle, once inside, Esther separated from the trio to head down to the dungeons to get prepared for the start-of-term feast. To her great surprise, once she entered the common room, she saw Marcus Flint leave the common room. He was supposed to be gone from Hogwarts, as he was in the seventh year the year prior.

Alexia Mulciber, an Slytherin second year, noticed her confusion and spoke, "In case you are wondering, Flint failed his exams last year."

He did?" asked Esther, her curiosity peaking.

"Threw Snape in a dither. Flint was told by our Head of House that Flint must pass his seventh year N.E.W.T exams or be expelled," said Alexia.

"And I thought Professor Snape favored Slytherins," said Esther.

After dressing in her uniform and robes, Esther followed her fellow Slytherins to the Great Hall, listening to the chatter ("Dementors. What a spooky year this will be," said a Slytherin fifth year).

The Head Girl, Gemma Farely, and the Head Boy, Percy Weasley, stood by the doors until the students from second to seventh year were all seated. From Gryffindor table, Esther saw that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were absent. Before she can ask herself why, Professor McGonagall led a group of first years to the stool where the Sorting Hat sat.

"Elena Hampton," Professor McGonagall called, looking at her scroll.

An girl with dirty blond hair timidly stepped up to the stool and sat on it with the hat on her head for two minutes before the Sorting Hat shouted, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table erupted in applause until the first year named Elena joined them.

"Katherine Mulciber," called McGonagall. As a brunette girl haughtily approached the Sorting Hat, Alexia and Alexander whispered to each other and casted dirty glances at the girl to be sorted.

"Is she related to you," Esther asked them.

"Yes, unfortunately," answered Alexander. "Her father was the second in the Mulciber family to serve _You-Know-Who_. She is already a nasty brat."

"Hopefully, Alex and I might ask the Weasley twins for the perfect pranks for our dear cousin," said Alexia, an mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Don't tell me you two idolize those idiots," moaned Draco.

The Mulciber twins glared at him as the Sorting Hat sorted Katherine Mulciber to Slytherin house.

"Astoria Greengrass," called McGonagall. Daphne Greengrass paid close attention as the hat was placed on her sister's head. After thirty seconds, Astoria was sorted into Slytherin.

After the sorting ended with the twins going both by the surname of French, one sorted into Slytherin while the other in Gryffindor ("That would have to be bloody terrible," said Miles Bletchley).

As Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat and the stool away from view, Esther vaguely noticed Harry, Ron, and Hermione enter the Great Hall, clad in their robes.

Dumbledore stood up from his chair in the High Table and announced, "Before I give my speech, Professor Flitwick would be delighted to start our term with a song performed by the Hogwarts School Choir."

"This is new," muttered Blaise Zabani.

A group of students, some carrying large toads as they stood in three rows on the dais leading to the High Table as Professor Flitwick conducted a song that Esther vaguely recognized from the Shakespearean play _Macbeth_, with the toads croaking at intervals. The song soon ended when the choir sang, "_Something wicked this way comes_."

The students clapped as the choir returned to their respective tables. Dumbledore soon stepped up to the podium to give his start-of-term speech.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts and to all our new students. Now, I'd like to say a few words before we all become too befuddled by our excellent feast," said Dumbldore. "First, I'm pleased to welcome Professor R.J. Lupin, who's kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher. Good luck, Professor."

The student body cheered as the new teacher stood up and acknowledged the students before he sat down. From Slytherin table, Esther noticed that Snape had an expression of loathing as he gave a extremely unenthusiastic applause.

"Also, I would like to announce that our Care of Magical Creatures teacher of many years has decided to retire, in order to spend more time with his remaining limbs," continued Dumbledore ("That is gross," Esther heard Abigail Bletchley say from across the table). "Fortunately, I'm delighted to announce that is place will be taken by none other than our own Rubeus Hagrid."

Hagrid was about to stand up to address the cheers but changed his mind as he nearly tipped the table over.

"No wonder why we were assigned _The Monster Book of Monsters_," muttered Draco in a disgruntled fashion. "He has a bad obsession with monsters. What will we be taught tomorrow? How to tame a Thestral?"

"Finally, on a more disquieting note, at the request of the Ministry of Magic, Hogwarts will, until further notice, play host to the dementors of Azkaban, until such a time as Sirius Black is captured," said Dumbledore, dropping his cheerful persona. "The dementors will be stationed at every entrance to the grounds. Now whilst I've been assured that their presence will not disrupt our day-to-day activities, a word of caution. Dementors are vicious creatures. They will not distinguish between the one they hunt and the one who gets in their way. Therefore, I must warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. It is not in the nature of a dementor to be forgiving."

Dumbledore regained his cheerful persona and continued, "But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if only one remembers to turn on the light."

A second later, the food appeared before their eyes and the feast started.

" 'Dementors cannot distinguish the ones they hunt and the one who gets in their way'" repeated Adrian Pucey as he helped himself to broiled beef. "That's not optimistic."

"That oaf as professor?" Draco told Theodore. "Why did Dumbledore have him teach? He is better as a gamekeeper. As I said, he has a disturbing obsession with monsters."

Esther ignored Draco's chatter as she talked with Daphne about their expectations for the new terms.

* * *

_R & R_


	40. Talons and Tea Leaves

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning, Esther entered the Great Hall and joined the Slytherin table, where she was entertained by a funny story told by Draco.

"Crabbe didn't know what hit him," said Draco. "Goyle thought it was funny when I covered Crabbe's face with whip cream while he was asleep on his family's couch. Crabbe didn't wake up until…oh, oh no. A dementor!"

Draco did a ridiculous impersonation of a swooning fit and among the roar of laughter, Esther was stone silent with rage.

"Stop," snapped Esther. "It's not funny."

Pansy ignored her and told Harry, who was standing with Ron and Hermione ", Hey, Potter! Potter! The dementors are coming, Potter! _Woooooooo!"_

"Seriously. Knock it off," snapped Esther, before picking up her plate and approaching the Gryffindor table, her third year time table in one of her hands.

"Mind if I sit here?" Esther asked Fred and George.

They both nodded and she sat next to them. Harry soon dropped into a seat next to George Weasley.

"New third-year schedules," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting between George and Esther and glaring over at Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Draco Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"The hypocrite," said Esther. "He wasn't so cocky when the temperature dropped. He nearly wet himself."

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"I did. Scary thing it was," said Esther, picking up her toast. "Draco gave me a pumpkin pastry when I woke up."

"You were with Malfoy on the train?" asked Hermione, looking horrified.

"There was no other room on the train," said Esther. "Be glad that Harry doesn't go to the Slytherin common room."

Harry felt a knot tie in his stomach, knowing what Esther was referring to.

'Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," said Hermione happily, as she examined her new schedule.

As Ron told Hermione how her time table was messed up, Esther noticed a gold chain around Hermione's neck.

"What do you got?" Harry asked Esther.

"I got Divination, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures," said Esther, looking at her time table.

Harry turned to Esther and said, "I need to tell you something."

"Is it about Sirius Black?" said Esther. "I already know."

Esther told them what Draco told her, leaving out the thing about Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black not being in the Dark Lord's circle, though she did say one thing about it.

"Well, Draco told me that his father remembers a Regulus Black, but not a Sirius," said Esther.

"It could have been Black's false name, so he could cover his tracks," said Hermione.

"However, Draco did tell me…" Esther began before Hermione cut her off.

"Don't listen to a word what Malfoy says," said Hermione. "He is a bully, a faker, and a liar. Malfoy is just being Malfoy, so don't listen to him."

_But I doubt that he would lie about that, and before you cut me off, I was going to say that Regulus was Sirius Black's brother_, Esther thought as she turned to her breakfast.

Esther did not stay long at Gryffindor table, as she didn't want to get to get lost for her first Divination class, but the main reason was that Gryffindor first years looked petrified at the sight of a Slytherin at their table ("She's Harry's cousin. She won't hurt you," Ron told one of them).

Esther left the Great Hall, about to begin her search for the North Tower, where Divination was held, when she encountered the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin house ghost.

"I'll get Peeves for his insult," the Baron was muttering to himself.

"Excuse me, Baron," said Esther. "Do you know where the North Tower is?"

"First Divination class?" asked the Baron. "This way. Follow me."

The Baron led her through corridors and a few staircases until they reached a small landing, with a trap-door on the ceiling.

"Here you are," said the Bloody Baron. "I shall be off and give Peeves his just desserts."

The Baron floated away as Esther looked at the trapdoor above her and read the plaque which read _Sybil Trelawney, Divination teacher_.

A few minutes later, she was joined by some of her third years, and she heard both Crabbe and Goyle pant heavily when they, Draco, and Pansy climb to the landing.

"If I had known going to Divination would be this hard, I wouldn't have signed up for this class," Goyle complained.

Esther turned to him and said, "Shut up, Goyle. You could use the exercise. Even Crabbe."

Draco sniggered and said, "Good one."

After the students who were to attend Divination were joined by Harry and Ron, the trapdoor suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended at Harry's feet. Everyone got quiet.

Harry was the first one to climb the ladder, Ron following him, while Esther waited until Draco climbed the ladder so she could.

She emerged into the strangest-looking classroom she had ever seen. In fact, it didn't look a classroom at all, more like a cross between someone's attic, and an old-fashioned tea shop. There were least twenty small, circular tables in the room, a few tables on a carpeted platform along the walls. The tables were surrounded by chinz armchairs. The only lighting in the room were the windows.

"Where is she," Esther heard Ron whisper to Harry.

A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice.

"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."

Esther's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and coming from her hairband was long, frizzy blonde hair. An necklace hung from her neck and she was wearing a long blouse and a skirt, that in Esther's mind, came from a second hand shop.

"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs. Esther sat at a table in the second platform, where she was joined by Draco. Esther looked at him and turned away. She was still angry at him for his fainting impersonations.

"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may have not seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye."

"Did we see her before at the feasts?" Draco whispered to Esther, who nodded.

"So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts. I must warn you at the onset that if you do not have the Sight," said Professor Trelawney ", there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can only take you so far in this field…"

"Then why were we assigned a textbook?" she heard Hermione comment out loud.

Esther looked to see Hermione sitting between Harry and Ron.

"When did you get here?" Esther heard Ron ask Hermione.

"Me? I been here all this time," she heard Hermione tell Ron.

Esther mentally scoffed. Hermione wasn't among the mass of students waiting to be let into Divination.

"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to a few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his chair. "Is your grandmother well?"

"I think so," said Neville tremulously.

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney. Neville gulped. Professor Trelawney continued placidly. "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading the tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Pavarti Patil, "beware a red-haired man."

Pavarti gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her, and edged her chair away from him.

In the second term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball – if we have finished with fire omens. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. I myself will lose my voice. And around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever."

A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it.

"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?"

Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf, and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney.

"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading – it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October."

Lavender trembled.

Professor Trelawney instructed them to each get a teacup so she could fill it, what to do with it, and told them to go in pairs. Esther mentally blocked Draco's mirth as he sniggered at Neville for breaking a teacup.

When Esther and Draco had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped over.

"Right," said Draco, as they both opened their copies of _Unfogging the Future _at pages five and six. "What do you see in mine?"

Esther looked at his cup and looked at page five for reference. "Well, according to your cup," said Esther, "in a few years, you would have to do a task that would put you in enormous pressure and give you lots of stress."

"That's delightful," said Draco, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He looked at her teacup and said, "Yours says that, you will live an enriched life in a few years."

They both turned each other's cups around for a different opinion. "Now, this says your life will be miserable," said Esther, looking inside Draco's cup.

Soon, they heard Professor Trelawney gasp in horror and a sound of a teacup hitting a table.

Both of them looked to see Professor Trelawney at Harry, Ron, and Hermione's table, an horrified expression on her face.

"My dear," Professor Trelawney said to Harry, "You have…the Grim."

"The Grim?" Esther asked confused. She could tell she was the only one who didn't understand. Harry looked clueless and Dean Thomas shrugged at him, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror.

"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney. "The giant, spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen – the worst omen – of _death_!"

Esther saw Harry's expression turn from clueless to worry as he looked at his teacup.

* * *

After Transfiguration (which took place after Divination), during lunch at the Great Hall, Esther looked at her schedule. "We have Care of Magical Creatures next," said Esther. Draco, who was telling Theodore Nott a funny story, heard her and turned pale as a sheet.

"We being taught by that oaf next?" said Draco.

Esther nodded, though she said, "Hagrid is not an oaf."

"He's mental," said Crabbe. "I had to bind that book with a band of fabric."

After lunch, Esther followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione outside. Esther was rather pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale gray, and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first Care of Magical Creatures class.

Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Esther and Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Esther saw a few of her fellow Slytherins ahead of them. Draco was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Like Harry, Esther was quite sure she knew what they were talking about.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking inpatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as his class approached. "Got a real treat for you today! A great lesson! Everyone here? Right, follow me."

Hagrid led them around the trees of the Forbidden Forest and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather around the fence here!" he called. "That's it – make sure you can see – now first thing you'll want to do is open your books…"

"And how do we do that?" asked Draco irritability.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Draco repeated. He took out his copy of _The Monster Book of Monsters_, which he bound with a red, leather belt. Other people took theirs out too; some, like Draco and Esther, had belted their books shut, even Harry had the same idea; others crammed them in tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn't – hasn't anyone been able to open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads.

"You stroke the spine," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look…"

He took Esther's copy and removed the red elastic belt that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet on his hand.

"Oh, how silly we must have been!" Draco sneered. "We should have _stroked _them! Why didn't we guess!"

"They think they're funny," said Hermione, as Hagrid gave Esther her book back.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Draco. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly.

"Right then," said Hagrid. "So – so you've got your books and now you need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go and get them. Hang on…"

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Draco loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him…"

"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated.

"Careful, Potter, there's a dementor behind you…" Pansy began.

"Oooooooh," squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

Trotting toward them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Esther had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-colored beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and at the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures.

"Beautiful, aren't they," he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures toward the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence.

"Um, Hagr – I mean, Professor," said Esther. "What are those?"

"Those are Hippogriffs," roared Hagrid happily. "Now, the first thing you've got to know about hippogriffs is that they are very proud creatures. Don't never insult them because it might be the last thing you do."

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in undertone. "I wouldn't do so, if I were you," Esther muttered, knowing that they were scheming to get Hagrid sacked; they didn't listen.

"You always wait for the hippogriffs to make the first move," Hagrid continued. "It polite, see? You walk toward him, and you bow and wait. If he bows back, you're allowed to touch him. If he doesn't bow, then get away from him sharpish, because those talons hurt.

"Right – who wants to go first?"

Most of the class except Harry backed farther away in answer. Hagrid took it that Harry wanted to volunteer.

After Harry climbed over the paddock, Esther saw Hagrid untie the chain of a gray hippogriff, named Buckbeak.

The whole class watched as Buckbeak bowed back to Harry, allowed Harry to touch him, and watched as Harry got on the Hippogriff's back and Buckbeak took off with him. A few minutes later, Buckbeak landed, and Harry jumped off his back.

Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backward from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. Esther and Daphne practiced on a bronze hippogriff, while Pansy Parkinson watched.

As the bronze hippogriff was about to let Esther touch it, she heard Draco's high pitch scream. Esther and Daphne both wheeled around to see Hagrid wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Draco, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

"I'm dying!" Draco yelled as the class panicked. "I dying, look at me! It's killed me!"

"You're not dying!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me – got to get him out of here."

Hermione ran to hold open the gate as Hagrid lifted Draco easily. As they passed, Esther saw that there was a long, deep gash on Draco's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope toward the castle.

Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at the walk. The Slytherins close to Draco were shouting about Hagrid.

"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy, who was in tears.

"Oh, relax, Pansy," Esther retorted. "It is not like the hippogriff killed him. It is just a gash."

They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted entrance hall.

"I going to see if he's okay!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the staircase. Esther followed her fellow Slytherins to the common room as the others headed towards theirs.

"Do you know what happened?" Esther asked one of Draco's lackeys.

"The hippogriff hurt him and Malfoy did nothing to it," said Goyle nervously.

Esther gave him a dark scowl, not buying it; Crabbe and Goyle paled. They knew that if she was her father, Lord Voldemort, they would be six feet under in a few moments.

Crabbe lowered his head and said, "Malfoy insulted the hippogriff and it hurt him as a result."

"So, what do you plan to feed the others?" Esther asked.

Crabbe and Goyle exchanged nervous looks and ran to the Slytherin Common Room. As much as Esther hated being the only child of Voldemort, it did have its advantages, though Esther did not want to abuse it.

Esther followed suit and headed down to the Slytherin Common Room. She knew that Draco was probably in the hospital wing, exaggerating the state of his injury to Madame Pomfrey, while Pansy held his hand as if he was a scared little boy.

She scoffed at that mental image before proceeding to the common room.

* * *

**Thoughts so far?**


End file.
